Good Typification And Stereotyping In Communication Essay Example

Communication is an important human aspect where mutually understood signs are employed to pass intended meanings between entities in visual, auditory or biochemically means. Visual detail and individualization of human appearance are used in identification which in turn is synthesised by the receiving entity. Through analysing physical traits such as the hair type, eye colour and skin colour, assumptions are made as to what race the individual could belong, unaware of any look enhancements. Racial profiling should therefore not be used as a basis for making assumptions about personal character and background as it could be misleading.
Stereotyping is holding certain beliefs or thoughts about a group of people or situation which are not necessarily true about their characters. Stereotypes could be sexists, racists or homophobic, thus having biased notions against other entities with particular group characteristics such as being black. A trait associated with a certain group being generalised to apply to all its members is done for purposes of preferential or discriminatory treatments by those in authority.
In the Frontline Episode, A Class Divided, typification was used to categorise the students into two groups, blue eyes and brown eyes, which were assigned different statuses. The teacher, Jane Eliot, used different attitudes to elicit respective characteristics from the third graders. Having each group assume the superior status, in turn, led to a situation where the inferior group was looked down upon and even performed below par. ‘A divided class’ shows how placing status to a panel of people affects their relationship with their fellow neighbours. This happens due to social expectations related to the status accorded to each category. The higher an individual or group of people is in the social hierarchy determine the power, privilege and prestige they are accorded. The society expects certain behavioural traits from each category and thus, stimulating the desired outcome. As in the case of ‘A Divided Class’, where the supposedly inferior group performed relatively poorly.
Discrimination happens where some ideologies or people are held superior over others thus looking down upon their inferior counterparts thus communication is in a hierarchal dominance dictated by power, privilege and prestige. Stereotyping hinders effective communication through constricting perception to only limited dimensions that leave the stereotypes unaware of the bigger picture. Prior assumptions about ideology should be circumvented in the interaction process to prevent biased communication and actions.