Prejudice and stereotypes in social perception

Stereotype

Stereotyping: The Reciprocity of Discrimination

Through my studies, I have learned that stereotyping and prejudice in the work place are very real and present issues. On the other hand, I had never firsthand learned of instances where discrimination had been overtly present in the workplace. I was curious to know in what forms such biases might still be easily detectible in the modern workplace. When I began working as an assistant to the manager at a local retail company, I was surprised to be the firsthand subject of stereotyping and prejudice. I would learn here beyond a reasonable doubt that there still exist difficulties in the workplace with regard to the sensitivity needed to accommodate people of a variety of different persuasions. Especially in smaller companies, where there are less likely to be high levels of administrative oversight, it often falls upon the shoulders of managers to adopt strategies for invoking sensitive practices.

At the company in question, these steps had not been taken and the result was a pattern of insensitive behavior toward individuals of ethnic difference. As a Chinese-Indonesian immigrant, I have found that I was often regarding during my employment here as a cultural other. This was a difficult adjustment where I found that individuals were wary to include me in their social planning or even the exchange of small talk during the work day. At first, I attributed this standoffishness to my status as a new hire. However, with the passage of time, I began to suspect that members of the all-white company felt uncomfortable around me.

But it was not until I overheard several coworkers talking in the break room that I came to understand why I had been made to feel so unwelcome. It is here that I am inclined to think of anti-locution, a dimension of stereotyping and prejudice which Ruchlis describes in his text. As I approached the break room one afternoon, I heard one of my co-workers mention my name. This caused me to pause before entering, at which point I overheard one of coworkers indicate that I was "too quiet" and that this made her suspicious. I felt myself becoming upset immediately. Another co-worker said, "well you know how those Asian people are. They are very quiet people." This stereotype struck me as offensive, but I was shocked by what happened immediately thereafter. Yet a third co-worker chimed in, indicating that "I bet he gets really talkative when you give him some math to do. Asians love math."

This was both insulting and hurtful. I understood now that there was a culture of ignorance to other nationalities which allowed for the use of harmful stereotypes and which promoted the discriminatory banter occurring behind my back. I also now understood clearly why the company's personnel were not welcoming to me. They feared difference, lacked an understanding of my culture and used stereotypes as an excuse to keep me isolated within the company. This was an organization where I find myself unable to remain for any lengthy period of time.

It was also an extremely important moment of revelation with regard to the way that I approach others, particularly those who are in some manner different from me. I was now alerted to my own tendencies with respect to others, and even to realize that I had been guilty of employing stereotypes in the past as well. Perhaps in a sense, I had been somewhat standoffish around my new all-white coworkers because I allowed this sense of cultural isolation to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. This again causes us to consider the theories discussed in Ruchlis' text. The author explains avoidance as a dimension of stereotyping that is passive in nature but nonetheless damaging where the interrelation of social actors is concerned.

Avoidance is generally produced by fear of difference and may characterize my initial dealings with my white coworkers. My perception was that white Americans often tend to be verbally aggressive, loud and inherently outgoing. This may have caused me to behave in ways that were defensive and guarded. To this extent, my issues with this organization may have been a product of a reciprocal discomfort. This was a revelation that I had not considered when I had first absorbed the insults of my fellow employees. Without question, their remarks and behavior made it clear that the environment was largely marked by a disregard for issues of discrimination.