To what extent do I agree with the Assumptions of Tessa Perkins

Stereotyping is not a simple process and contains a number of assumptions that can be
challenged. Tessa Perkins (1979) identifies 5 such assumptions;
• Stereotypes are not always negative (e.g. 'The French are good cooks').
• They are not always about minority groups or the less powerful ( e.g. 'upper class twits').
• They can be held about one's own group.
• They are not rigid or unchanging ( e.g. the "cloth cap worker of the 1950's became the
1980's 'consumerist home-owner who holidays in Spain').
• They are not always false.
Stereotyping has tended to suggest that it is wrong to see people in categories. Yet in the field
of social psychology it has long been recognised that categorisation is a fundamental process
necessary for humans to make sense of the world. Humans need to impose structure on events
, experiences and people.

Stereotyping is defined as  ‘Categorising’ a person based on appearance, race, skin colour or personality. It is common in our society as we live in a world that is full of different people who in some cases have a distinctive group that they are part of or originate from. Tessa Perkins outlines five very accurate and true assumptions in my opinion; they are all relevant to stereotyping in our modern world.

The first assumption made by Tessa Perkins states that “Stereotypes are not always negative”, I agree with this statement as sometimes when people are stereotyped it could be in a good way, such as Canadian people are always thought to be kind and polite. By stereotyping the Canadian as being kind and polite, we assume every Canadian is kind and polite so if we were ever to meet one our first impression would be already present. However, this is still labelling people into one group which I think is wrong, even if the stereotype is as good as the Canadian one it should still not already decide our views on a very large nation. When stereotyping someone good or bad we are still saying that they are not unique or an individual which could potentially upset them as they feel as though they are not in control of their destiny or fate.

Although a lot of everyday stereotypes are based on minority groups, there are various stereotypes that relate to the upper class, they are seen as ‘snobby’ and stuck up’ on Tv dramas and films. A good example would be from the movie ‘The Queen’ where they all talk proper English, and seem to walk upright with a sense of separation from the rest of the world. Today, other countries see all people that are English as being stereotyped this way. In my opinion I think people stereotype the upper class out of jealously as they are not as wealthy and successful as them they choose to despise them.

Tessa Perkins’s third assumption is very true in my opinion, stereotyping can be said about my someone’s own group frequently. As I am a British-Indian and also I teenager I find that stereotyping occurs a lot in everyday society as well as on TV dramas such as Easterners. On Eastenders Indians are portrayed as having an accent (Zainab Masood) and are also portrayed as having a profession in either the Food industry or medical which is not necessary bad but still is stereotyping. As being a teenager I notice that wild stereotyping of teens in TV drams occurs frequently with certain teens such as Lauren Banning being out of control and very irrespirable.

I agree with the fourth assumption, as stereotypes are always changing, people get richer, better looking or change in any way. This is mostly because of a change in society; a good example of a changed stereotype would be Males and working. For centuries Males have been the dominant force in a relationship and have always provided the finance and having a rough job such as farming, this is still true In some parts of the world today, however currently males are seen as house husbands or having so called ‘Feminine’ jobs such as cleaning or cooking.]

I disagree with Tessa Perkins last statement; to say that not all stereotypes are false is saying that labelling someone into one group is rite. It is defiantly not correct to say to someone that they belong to one group and that they are not an individual, even if the stereotype is positive or even tru such as a Black man being fast at running, it would hurt them to think that they are not an individual and that they are not looked at as one.