Stereotypes vs. Generalizations

After reading Carlos E. Cortes’ article “Helping Students Understand Stereotyping”, I feel like I have a much better understanding and awareness of stereotyping in comparison to generalizations. Previously I had not really seen the difference; I felt that stereotyping and generalizing about individuals was in essence the same thing and very hurtful. However, with Cortes’ article, I now feel like clarification has occurred and I am better able to understand that maybe careful and observant generalizations might not be all that bad. According to Cortes (2001), “group generalizations must be flexible and permeable…and should always be open to change…” (5). In addition he calls generalizations “clues” to who a person or group might be while at the same time recognizing that there are differences among members of groups (Cortes, 2001, 6). When defining generalizations in this way, I find that they are not as dangerous as I had originally thought—although if not properly examined or applied they could lead towards harmful stereotypes. I also feel like creating patterns and finding commonalities is something that we as humans do inherently. We are always looking for ways to define the world around us. Therefore, I feel as if generalizations are a natural part of life and can even be beneficial when we want to examine groups as a whole. However, I feel the only way to really make sure this happens fairly is to understand that no two individuals are the same and even though we might believe them to be from the same social or racial group, each and every one of us is an individual.

Cortes, C. Helping students understand stereotyping. The Educational Digest. Apr 2001, 4-11.