16 Jan INFLUENCE OF MEDIA ON STEREOTYPES

In Week 1, you considered constructionism, which suggests that political, legal, and economic social processes influence perceptions of race and ethnicity. Media is an example of a social process that influences perceptions of race and ethnicity. Media includes film, television, print, the Internet, and radio. One way that media influences perceptions of race and ethnicity is by depicting stereotypes. A stereotype is a depiction of a member of a group that suggests that all members of that group share the same characteristics. Examples of stereotypes include the following: Asians are good at math, blacks have rhythm, and Mexicans are lazy, to name a few. When individuals repeatedly view imbalanced portrayals in the media, they may perceive others in a way that is consistent with the stereotypes portrayed. Stereotypes may be positive or negative. In your text, Framework Essay III explains how Asian Americans often are stereotyped positively, while African Americans often are stereotyped negatively.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the “Framework Essay” in Section III and Readings 13, 31, and 33 in the course text. Pay particular attention to stereotypes and media representations of racial and ethnic groups. Think about how media influences racial and ethnic stereotypes. Consider positive and negative stereotypes that you are aware of. Watch a television sitcom, a drama, a news program, a talk show, or the commercials aired during one of these types of shows. Identify one example of a positive racial or ethnic stereotype and one example of a negative racial or ethnic stereotype

RESOURCES

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity. Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.