Ethnic Stereotyping in Arabic Proverbs

Abstract

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES of stereotypes in the Middle East have usually relied upon instruments developed elsewhere, such as the association of certain nationalities with qualities indicated by a list of adjectives.2 Since urban, particularly student, populations were used for these studies, there has been little interest in the traditional stereotypes of Middle Easterners. Information about the traditional forms of interethnic images in the Middle East can, however, be derived from other sources. These include folktales, jokes, and proverbs, as well as new data which can still be collected in rural areas.