Stereotypes & Stigma - Clarification on Some Forum Guidelines

Prejudice, Stereotyping, Discrimination, and Stigma

A stereotype is a fixed, over generalized belief about a particular group or class of people. By stereotyping we infer that a person has a whole range of characteristics and abilities that we assume all members of that group have. A prejudice is its emotional counterpart, meaning fear, dislike, anger, hatred or other usually negative emotions solely based on the person's group membership and discrimination is the harmful behaviour or actions facilitated by holding prejudices and stereotypes. None of this is personal but towards a social category and the whole of individuals (seemingly) belonging to it.

One advantage of a stereotype is that it enables us to respond rapidly to situations because we may have had a similar experience before.

One disadvantage is that it makes us ignore differences between individuals; therefore we think things about people that might not be true (i.e. make generalizations).

Causes

• Cognitive Simplifications

The use of stereotypes is a major way in which we simplify our social world; since they reduce the amount of processing (i.e. thinking) we have to do when we meet a new person.

• Threats to Self-Esteem

Another social factor that contributes to the establishment of prejudices includes a need for maintaining or elevating one's social status.

• Competition for Resources

These attitudes reduce the competition among people by increasing barriers or unjustified penalties for members of particular groups.

• Socialization

Via mass and social media, family, religious institutions, schools, political groups and those in power, etc.

• Conformity Bias

People may have prejudiced beliefs and feelings and act in a prejudiced way because they are conforming to what is regarded as normal in the social groups to which they belong.

• Confirmation Bias

When we see members of social groups perform behaviors, we tend to better remember information that confirms our stereotypes than we remember information that disconfirms our stereotypes. We tend to perceive the world in ways that make it fit our existing beliefs more easily than we change our beliefs to fit the reality around us.

• Social Categorisation

Stereotypes lead to social categorisation, which is one of the reasons for prejudiced attitudes (i.e. “them” and “us” mentality) which leads to in-groups and out-groups, further polarizing societies.

Why is this Harmful?

• reduced hope

• lack of understanding by family, friends, coworkers, or others

• lower self-esteem

• increased psychiatric symptoms

• difficulties with social relationships, social isolation

• reduced likelihood of staying with treatment

• more difficulties at work or school

• bullying, violence or harassment

• difficulties in seeking treatment due to institutional barriers

Reducing Stigma and Stereotypes

• Contact Hypothesis

It is a theory in psychology which suggests that prejudice and conflict between groups can be reduced if members of the groups interact with each other. Contact helps reduce anxiety, increase empathy and helps people to see things from the other group’s perspective.

• Collective Guilt

Collective guilt is an emotion that people experience when their social group is perceived as having perpetrated immoral acts. When collective guilt is experienced, it motivates people to make amends for the harm done.

• Common In-Group Identity Model

It posits that social bias can be reduced by uniting people who belong to different social groups under one larger, superordinate group. Bias can be reduced by factors that transform members' perceptions of group boundaries from “us” and “them” to a more inclusive “we”.

Major Reference

https://opentextbc.ca/socialpsychology/

Here are some other helpful 7 Cups Forum Posts!

Thoughtful Thursday: Dealing with Stigma

Together For Mental Health: Speaking Up And Stigma

The 'Unfortunate Grit' - Mental Health Month - May 2022

Mental Health Stigma and Empowerment ♡

All about Stigma🦋

Stigma Associated with Mental Health

Stigma and Stereotypes

Stereotype threat

Forum Discussion: The Impact of Stereotypes on Self-Esteem

Thank you for this detailed information!~

@theriverissinging

Very detailed and useful info!

@theriverissinging

Hi River-I want to thank you so much for clarifying this in depth. Just like our members rooms and listener rooms we have no room for this behavior even in our forums. Our forums need to be totally supportive, welcoming and friendly enough so others can share openly and honestly.❤️

Thank you for sharing this

Thanks! Great reminders in this ❤️

@theriverissinging

Hi River! 😊❤️ Many thanks my friend! Well said and beautifully written! *high fives* 😊 and big *hugs* ❤️

@theriverissinging

Thank you for sharing this River!

If someone delete post will they tell you why delete that ? Sometimes I say things I don’t know are mean or bad and I am trying to learn not say things is bad like that. Like I accidentally say racist things because I never live by so much white people before until we move so my brothers and parents tell me some things I say is rude sometimes even if they don’t know I’m saying since I use sign language

@theboymoana If you have done something wrong and a post is deleted because of it, you should be notified. If you aren't notified you can email forum@7cups.com for more information.

The forum team does try to edit posts and not just delete as long as the overall post has enough context with the remaining parts that fit the guidelines.

@theriverissinging

Thank you for this timely and wise clarification, and for the detailed explanations that come from the thorough research of scientific material you took the effort to do.

Unfortunately, Prejudice, Stereotyping, Discrimination, and Stigma have been basic elements of human cultures worldwide since the beginning of the Sapiens Sapiens species, as anthropology, prehistory, and history can attest, causing a huge amount of suffering along the way.

I think 7 Cups is at the forefront of a movement towards a humane, inclusive, and ethical movement that is changing the world for the better.

Cultural change is slow and uneven. Many people that come here don't have a broad humanistic and ethical background that would allow them to behave in accordance with 7 Cups values.

So maybe more education might be needed to include all members of this community in this positive movement and way of thinking, that might not come natural to some.

More educational posts like this one, not circumscribed only to forums, but about the egalitarian treatment and respect of the dignity of fellow humans would be a great contribution.

Also, maybe a "crash course" in the form of compulsory training, could be imposed on the transgressors of these values, as a condition to continue belonging to 7 Cups.

@HealingTalk

Thank you for the ideas and feedback! We did introduce something in this direction called Community Service Model to Behavioral Points System. We'll see what the community needs are in the coming future and continue to make changes/updates to broaden/shrink things accordingly.

@theriverissinging thank you for this thread. :It is helpful to remind people of guidelines because things like using profanity can be triggering to people who have suffered trauma. Words that are edited in the Support Rooms are not edited in the Forums, like the "F" word, so people need to be especially careful what words they say in forums.

If possible, why not censor words in the forums like are done in the support rooms?

@soulsings