Stereotyping can misrepresent a person's characteristics: just because they belong to a certain group of people doesn't mean that they have the qualities or character traits assigned to that stereotype. This can cause someone to misjudge the people they come into contact with, or even to value themselves below another group of people. Performance in school and the workplace can be affected by this as well. If someone continues to think that they are above or below someone else, their behavior, attitude, and disposition will change to match it.

The effects of stereotyping

Stereotyping can keep people from building lasting relationships. The predispositions that we hold are sometimes very untrue, and that can make us stop trusting people who are different than us. Our willingness to cooperate with others is something that will be damaged as well. Creating stereotypes not only excludes others from our own groups; it also secludes us from the rest of the world. The more stereotypes we hold about others, the less likely we are to see ourselves in others and sympathize/empathize with them.