What term describes a fixed distorted belief about a group based on diversity characteristics, often reinforced by media and peers?

• A. Bias
• B. Attitudes
• C. Stereotypes
• D. Generalizations

Answer: (C)

Stereotypes are fixed, distorted beliefs about a group based on characteristics like race, gender, or nationality. They arise from oversimplifying what people in a group are like and are often reinforced by media portrayals and peer discussions, making them feel widely accepted even when they’re not true for individuals. This isn’t just a general feeling or preference; it’s a specific cognitive shortcut that assigns uniform traits to everyone in the group, ignoring individual differences. Attitudes are broader evaluations or feelings toward people; bias is a tendency to favor or disfavor something; generalizations are broader statements that aren’t necessarily as rigid or distorted as stereotypes. Recognizing stereotypes helps you avoid making quick judgments about people based on group membership.