Ethnic Group Stereotypes: A New Look at an Old Problem

Abstract

This paper describes a new and more reliable method of inter-comparison of traits that make up personality stereotypes. These stereotypes comprise non-logical or emotional beliefs held by members of society about themselves and others. Non-logical pre-judging of individuals based on the stereotype of their ethnic group held by the dominant culture in society has been with us for a long time. It would seem some shifts in stereotyping occur, but due to the statistical methods used in prior studies of stereotypes, the extent or significance of the change is difficult or impossible to interpret. (2, 5, 10) To attempt to develop a more reliable method of assessing the content of stereotypes, and documenting opinions held by subgroups in society, the authors of this paper set up a pilot study in 1972 of a new method to assess the perceived traits that make-up personality stereotypes. The method of the study allowed intercomparison of the stereotype of five ethnic groups. The traits making up the stereotype were weighted in such a way that the amount of each trait found in one ethnic group could be compared to the amount of the same trait of another ethnic group. The amount of the trait found could be expressed as a percentage, or number, capable of mathematical manipulations such as adding, subtracting, or averaging. Relationships between traits of ethnic groups could be expressed as ratios to one another. (17, 20) The 1972 pilot group comprised thirty adult students in a personnel management class. The class members were first line supervisors in hospitals in the San Francisco Bay Area: seventeen were black and thirteen were white. In May 1975 the study was repeated using a high school class of 27 sophomore students: twenty-one White, four Chicano, one Chinese, and one Filipino. Results from these two studies indicate that a group of adults