Stereotypes are fixed ideas and images that are prevalent among many people, such as "type A people are meticulous and type O people are careless" or "men are science majors and women are humanities majors."

In recent years, issues of gender discrimination and inequality in the way men and women work have been widely covered in the news and on social media. Stereotypes are also a cause of these issues.

In this article, we will clearly explain the background of the word stereotype, its origin, concrete examples, and its advantages and disadvantages. We hope that this article will help you to correctly understand what stereotypes are and become aware of hidden stereotypes that lurk within yourself and society.

Meaning and definition of stereotype

What is a stereotype?Stereotypes, images, assumptions, concepts, and patterns of thinking that permeate many peopleIt refers to

The first person to propose stereotypes was the American journalist Walter Lippmann, who said in his book Public Opinion (1992) that "human beings behave within a triangle: the real environment, the simulated environment, and behavior."

In order to decide how we should act, we need to know the real world. However, because the real world is so complex and changeable, we create an image of the world that is simpler than reality, and act based on that image.Stereotypes are fixed images of this pseudo-world.That's Lippmann's view.

It is said that people have stereotypes in their minds from the start. These stereotypes vary depending on the country or region you were born in, your age, and your social class, and are further formed by how you were raised, your experiences, and information from the outside world.

In addition, in social psychology,An overgeneralized belief about a particular category of peopleIt is defined as: We have a tendency to divide others into friends and enemies, and the basic idea in psychology is to distinguish friends as the "in-group" and enemies as the "out-group." From this perspective, stereotypes can be a reason for judging good and bad, superiority and inferiority, and can also be the cause of prejudice and discrimination.

The origin of the word stereotype

The word stereotype originates from the printing industry.Stereotype printing".

Stereotype printing is a printing technique that uses a master plate made by pouring a lead alloy into a paper mold made by pressing letters, line drawings, or photographs. The resulting print is exactly the same as if it had been made from a mold.

For this reason, Lippmann, who first proposed the concept of stereotype, used the term to mean that we "understand external reality by fitting it into a pre-existing pattern in our minds."

He appropriated the technical term "stereotype," which originally meant a type for printing, as a keyword for the new age of mass communications.

The difference between "stereotypes" and "bias"

A word similar to stereotype is "bias." Bias is an English word that means "preconception or prejudice."

Stereotypes are specific images that each person has.And I think that’s normal,We don't often have the opportunity to become aware of the stereotypes we hold.

OneBias is a combination of stereotypes, evaluations, emotions, attitudes, and behaviors..

Why do stereotypes occur? What causes stereotypes?

Stereotypes arise from the fear of "not understanding the other person."The amount of information we receive is so huge that we don't have the capacity to verify it all.

As Lippmann said, "We do not see and then define, but define and then see," we try to understand others by creating an image based on our past experiences and the information we have obtained from the media.In the process, we recognize others by "categorizing" and "labeling" them.It is

The brain is said to be the organ that consumes the most energy in the human body. Stereotypes allow us to make decisions and act while conserving brain energy. Stereotypes can be said to be one of the survival strategies that allow humans to live efficiently.

Lippmann does not say that stereotypes in themselves are bad, but he cites journalism as an important factor in forming stereotypes.

In 1922, when Lippmann wrote "Public Opinion," radio was rapidly spreading in the United States, and in the 1930s, the development and test broadcasting of television began.As people have become able to access information about things they have not experienced, fixed images have become widely established in society, and people are now able to make some kind of judgment about them.You can say that.

Examples of stereotypes in Japan

Familiar examples of stereotypes

A familiar example of a stereotype is blood type. For example, "Type O is careless" and "Type A is meticulous."

Other gender stereotypes include "men are science majors" and "women are humanities majors," and occupational stereotypes include "nursing and childcare workers are women's jobs" and "sales workers have a lot of drinking parties."

Thus, stereotypes are all around us.

Examples of advertising that creates stereotypes

Furthermore, stereotypes are hidden not only in everyday life but also in the messages that companies send out.

In particular, in commercials and other advertisements, there have been cases where, despite careful efforts, the content has ended up forcing stereotypical thinking on people.

For example, there is a commercial by a major food manufacturer called "Japanese Mothers."

This commercial depicted a mother struggling to balance work, childcare, and housework. However, it drew criticism because it assumed that "raising children is the mother's job" and assumed that the mother was the only one to raise the child.The production team's intention was to support women, but it ended up expressing a clearer definition of gender roles within the home.

Additionally, a soap manufacturer's commercial, "Something to Give," depicts a day in the life of a father.

The story unfolds as follows: he buys a birthday present for his child at his wife's request, goes to an izakaya and drinks with a junior colleague, returns home and is scolded by his wife for coming home after drinking, and finally takes a bath, with the catchphrase "Now, let's wash it off" playing.

The intention behind the production was to support hard-working fathers, but it drew criticism and caused an uproar, with people saying that it "justifies men prioritizing work over family."

In one case, a major textile manufacturer asked an illustrator to draw an illustration of a girl wearing tights, then posted it on social media, where it sparked an uproar.

The illustrations were sexually suggestive, such as depicting a woman with an emphasis on her thighs.The post was criticized for "sexualizing women who wear stockings" and "sexual exploitation."

Examples of advertisements that address stereotypes

On the other hand, there are also cases where raising issues about advertising stereotypes has led to attempts to change the public's attitude and perception.

Kai Corporation's "Freedom to Shave" advertisement caused a huge stir.

The ad features a woman showing off her untrimmed armpit hair and the tagline, "You decide whether it's unnecessary or not."This raises questions about the trend of thinking that shaving is normal.

This advertisement won the SDGs Special Award at the 74th Dentsu Advertising Awards.

What is Kai's intention behind "#FreedomToShave"? ~ 74th Dentsu Advertising Award SDGs Special Award commemorative talk | Web Dentsu News

The commercial for POLA Corporation also attracted a lot of attention.

In this recruitment commercial, which has three episodes,"This country is a developing country for women." "This country is home to phantom women." "In this country, you need two faces."The commercial conveyed the message that "it's important to be a woman who is able to make a difference in the lives of others." In the commercial, the company depicted the struggles of various women, including a woman who clears away everyone's cups by herself after a meeting, a woman working at the reception desk in a uniform, and a woman dressed in a black suit for a job interview. This challenging commercial drew many sympathetic responses online.

This commercial is something men should watch | Business Insider Japan

Additionally, Unicharm has launched the #NoBagForMe Project through its sanitary product brand, Sofy.

Collaborating with expert influencers, focusing on social mediaProject to promote awareness of menstruationSince the project began, the number of tweets about menstruation on Twitter has doubled from the previous year, helping to create a society where people can talk about menstruation without hesitation.

The issue of “menstruation taboo” moves to the next phase. The impact of #NoBagForMe on Japanese society and hints for tackling social issues | PR GENIC

The advantages and disadvantages of stereotypes

The benefits of stereotypes

The advantage of stereotypes is that they simplify information processing.

We are surrounded by a huge amount of information, so we need to distinguish between "necessary information" and "unnecessary information." Stereotypes allow us to instantly categorize information and easily identify it. This allows us to act instantly.

The advantage of stereotypes is that they minimize the burden on the brain and allow us to select and discard the information we need.It can be said.

Disadvantages of Stereotypes

The disadvantage of stereotypes is that they increase the likelihood of making incorrect perceptions..

By stereotyping, we tend to simplify people and things, and may miss the characteristics and qualities of the person or thing itself.It can also lead to prejudice and discrimination..

Furthermore, the modern world is overflowing with information. From mass media such as television and newspapers, to personal information posted on social media, and even from an internet search, countless search results are displayed.

The more information people receive, the more they rely on their own stereotypes. The accuracy of the information disseminated in the world is often unclear, and if we blindly accept that information, it can create new biases.

Finally

Stereotypes are something we all have.

However, it is important to be aware that judgments and actions based on one's own stereotypes can lead to discrimination and prejudice, and that blindly accepting information disseminated by the media can end up reinforcing unfounded stereotypes.

Importantly,Recognize that the stereotypes you hold may have been created based on biased information, and focus on hidden stereotypes..

To do this, it is necessary to compare information from various media and hold discussions based on data. In an age where anyone can easily disseminate information, it is necessary to act with the awareness that each individual's stereotypes shape the trends in society.