Objectives: To understand the origins of stereotypes.

Length: About 60 min.

Materials: Sheets of paper, writing tools, means of internet access.

Process: Discuss that stereotypes do not come out of nowhere, that they are acquired, rather than innate. Give a task to investigate, where they come from and how. Divide the participants into several groups. Each group is given a different topic. For example, LGBT, Muslims, Roma, Jews, etc. Give 15 minutes to remember the formation of an opinion about a specific group. When the time is up, each group introduce their stories.

Summary:

Summary questions:
1. Was it difficult to find the source of the stereotypes?
2. Did the identification of the origin of the stereotypes change the opinion about that group of people? If yes/no, why?
3. Can education on the origins of these stereotypes help eliminate or reduce them? Support your opinion.

As we can see from this exercise, stereotypes don’t come out of nowhere. People are not born with them. All stereotypes are usually formed by listening to other people or, in very many cases – the media. We encounter them every day and can hardly avoid them. Thus, we should be very careful and constructive in assessing the information we receive from there, using an internal filter to avoid negative information from the environment.