Stereotypes and Prejudices

1. Think about the stereotypes (both negative and positive) that you hold about various groups of people. Identity the specifically for various groups by writing them down and saying them out loud. Try to identify the origins of each stereotype. Where did it come from?

Examples to consider:

a) Mexicans

b) African Americans

c) Japanese

d) Chinese

e) Vietnamese

f) Native Americans

g) Central Americans

h) Middle Easterners

i) Jews

j) White Americans

k) Irish Catholic

l) Italian Americans

m) Southerners

n) men

o) Women

p) Gay men

q) Lesbians

r) Poor people

s) wealthy people

t) The physically challenged

Please feel free to include other groups.

2. For the ethnic categories, think about whether or not your stereotypes vary by gender or social class. identify those stereotypes. For the other categories, think about whether your stereotypes vary by race or ethnicity. Do you make other distinctions within groups and hold stereotypes based on those distinctions? Try to identify the origins of each stereotype that you identify.

3. Are you aware of the stereotypes that are held about the groups that you belong to? Identify them, Are they positive or negative? What impact have they had on you?

4. think about situations where your found yourself making generalizations about people. When do your stereotypes become activated. How do they impact your behavior and interactions with people.

5. Both personally and in interactions with others, are there some stereotypes that you challenge and some that you accept as "truth"? Identify some of those that you tend to challenge and those that you tend to accept. Why do you think you challenge/accept those specific stereotypes?

6a. In what ways do you think stereotypes and generalizations about groups of people can impact the process of intercultural psychotherapy?

b. What are some potential implications of stereotypes for your work as a therapist?

Answer each quetion with about one paragraph.