"North Eastern Chinese" Stereotypes

A few decades ago, social scientists believed that only "rigid, repressed and authoritarian" people held stereotypes (Paul 18). However, according to several recent studies, stereotypes are unconsciously used by everyone in the world. Annie Murphy Paul proposes that stereotypes form because people categorize others into certain groups in terms of gender, age and race, and then evaluate them with in-group/out-group dynamics, which means that people look down upon those who are not in their group in order to elevate themselves. Aside from the obvious differences between humans, such as gender, Forster, Gerger and Leder (2013) propose that trivial factors like facial expressions also influence stereotyping and contribute to people’s evaluations of the others. The unconscious categorization and evaluation have strongly influenced Chinese people’s attitudes toward North Eastern Chinese people. An overwhelming stereotype, which is largely held by Southern Chinese people, describes North Eastern Chinese people to be difficult to deal with, quick-tempered and violent. The example supports the experts' ideas that people unconsciously carry stereotypes, categorize and evaluate others in terms of groups, and judge peoples based on their facial appearance. Moreover, the example suggests that people also categorize others considering regional differences and evaluate others taking into account their physiques.

Everyone carries stereotypes, even without ever realizing it. In "Where Bias Begins: The Truth about Stereotypes", Annie Murphy Paul argues that even if a person is not racist, sexist or anti-Semitic, he or she still carries stereotypes, which are known as automatic or implicit stereotyping (Paul 17). Paul cited an experiment conducted ...

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...pes about North Eastern Chinese people, it is safe to draw a conclusion that stereotypes are deeply planted in everyone's bones although they may never realize that they were using them judging others. People are born with the intellectual ability of categorizing and evaluating people in groups. The social in-group/out-group dynamics cause them to devalue people that are outside their group, which causes stereotypes to form. Many factors influence people's stereotypes, say race, age, gender and facial appearances. From the examination of the "North Eastern Chinese" stereotype, it seems that region and physical appearances pose effects on stereotypes as well. Although it is almost impossible to erase stereotypes from us, since stereotypes are always associated with negative qualities, it is important for people to stop themselves from judging people with stereotypes.