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THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE IN CREATING STEREOTYPES
Oksana PSAKINA
Student of Media and Communication faculty, UzSWLU
Abstract.
In this article, we explore the origin of "stereotype" and its definitions,
categorizing them into different categories. The purpose of the article to study the types
of stereotypes, the ways of their occurrence and give a holistic analysis of the role of
language in the creating of stereotypes. Discussed the main trends and sources of
stereotypes and the influence of language on their formation. Language is a crucial
means of communication in everyday life, and studying how people use language helps
us understand society and ourselves.
Key words:
stereotype, language, culture, society, psychology, research,
discrimination; communication.
Stereotyping and discrimination provide urgent concerns for society. Despite
attempts to address them, prejudice and discrimination persist, sometimes in subtle
ways. Our everyday language contains many explicit and implicit expressions about
social categories, such as minority, age, gender groups and culture. Language
contributes to the formation and reinforcement of stereotypes and feeds, often
unconsciously, stereotyping and discrimination.
A stereotype is a mental assessment of something that has been previously
formed by a person, which can be reflected in stereotypical behavior. A stereotype can
be both negative and positive, so it is necessary to distinguish between a stereotype and
prejudice, which can only be negative.
There are many definitions of a stereotype. The most general description of a
stereotype is the following: «A stereotype is a schematic, standardized image or idea of
a social phenomenon or object, usually emotionally colored and stable. Expresses the
habitual attitude of a person to any phenomenon that has developed under the influence
of social conditions and previous experience». The concept of «social stereotype» was
first introduced into circulation by the famous American journalist Walter Lippmann in
1922 in the book «Public Opinion», where he defines a stereotype as a simplified, pre-
accepted idea that does not follow from a person's own experience.
Stereotypes, once considered intrapersonal phenomena, are now recognized as a
collective of individuals within a group. They are a normal cognitive mechanism
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present in all societies and cultures, formed under environmental influence. Stereotypes
help us process information and shorten thinking paths, and are deeply rooted in our
perceptions when heard from trusted individuals. Researchers now consider both
negative and positive features of stereotypes, recognizing their important functions at
both group and individual levels. These include:
•
The identification of groups,
•
The formation and maintenance of their ideologies,
•
The simplification of thinking.
Scientists have identified various types of stereotypes based on different criteria
for classification. Stereotypes are divided into collective and individual categories
based on the subject of stereotyping and the carrier of the stereotype. Collective
stereotypes are defined as patterns of ideas and beliefs accepted by all members of a
given culture, while individual stereotypes function at the individual- personal level.
The division of stereotypes into collective and individual categories is important both
theoretically and methodologically.
Nowadays, stereotypes exist for practically every social group. The following
stereotypes are the most common: gender, ethnic/national, age, religious, class or social
status, stereotypes about appearance.
Communication is a crucial factor in the formation and maintenance of stereotypes
about categories within cultures, subcultures, and groups. These stereotypes are
propagated and maintained through media and interpersonal communication. Although
stereotypes can be derived from sources other than linguistic communication,
communication is a stronger factor. Communication serves as both a carrier and
accelerator in this process.
In 2020, Dutch professors Christian Burgers and Camiel J. Beukeboom published
a study in the Journal of Language and Social Psychology, proposing the Social
Categories and Stereotypes Communication (SCSC) framework, based on an
integrative review of literature on stereotyping and biased language use.
The Social Categories and Stereotypes Communication (SCSC) framework
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explains how language use contributes to the sharing and maintenance of social-
category stereotypes. It distinguishes two biases in language use: perceived category
entitativity, stereotype content, and perceived essentialism of associated stereotypic
characteristics. These biases create a self-perpetuating cycle, allowing a better
understanding of stereotype-maintaining biases in natural language.
Numerous studies focus on gender stereotypes, examining how language
influences people's thinking and prejudices about a particular gender. Cognitive
psychologists suggest that language reliably influences human thinking, potentially
causing parallel differences in attitudes towards gender equality. Variations in gender
use in language, such as referring to objects as male or female, could explain these
differences. For example, in Spanish, the moon is marked as feminine by the definite
article la.
A study by Efren O. Perez and Margit Tavits examined the effects of genderless
and gendered language on women's political views. The researchers selected
representatives from two countries, Estonia (non-gender language) and Russia (gender
language), who were interviewed in Estonian or Russian, and compared their reactions
to gender stereotypes, policies promoting gender equality, and women's political
representation. The results showed that interviews in Estonia resulted in more liberal
views on gender equality than interviews in Russia. The results of the study extend
beyond Estonia and cover different countries and cultural contexts.
Stacy Kish from Carnegie Mellon University published a study on language
stereotypes that can bias women in science. They studied 25 languages and found that
language strongly predicts implicit gender associations, suggesting that linguistic
associations may be causally related to people's implicit judgment of what women can
accomplish. This research highlights the need for greater gender equality in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Gender stereotypes are closely linked to cultural values, as language is a part of a
culture. A study on gender and non-gender languages confirmed this in real life.
Romano-Germanic languages are asexual, while Slavic languages have clear genders.
In Russian, feminine words are associated with house, children, and kitchen, while
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masculine words are associated with income, earnings, business, and success. In
European languages, where words do not belong to any gender, there is less gender-
based stereotyping. Men cook more often, and women can be seen at the helm of a
million-dollar company.
Language is a social tool; it accordingly participates in all processes in society.
Stereotyping is no exception. They are formed through our observations of others in
daily life, which is then reflected in the language we use to refer to specific groups of
people in society. Moreover, as already mentioned above and confirmed by several
different studies by different scientists, language plays a key role in the formation of
stereotypes.
It is significant to note that not all stereotypes are understood globally; some may
be language-specific. For example, stereotypes in the English language may not be the
same (or be understood in the same way) as stereotypes made in other languages and
countries.
It must be remembered that stereotypes are always national. Sometimes you can
find analogues in different cultures. However, such cases need to be given special
attention, since they are generally the same, but may differ in details that are of great
importance for successful communication.
The emergence of stereotypes is inevitable due to the diversity of cultures and
languages in the world. Nevertheless, we can reduce their negative impact on us by
conducting research, exploring the world, and expanding our horizons.
Stereotypes were first studied as a social term by the American journalist
W.Lippmann. After that, different scientists investigated this phenomenon by different
methods, and a large number of articles, books, and scientific papers were written on
the topic of stereotyping and the influence of language on the process of forming
stereotypes, as well as stereotypes on the process of communication in society itself.
We come to the conclusion that language has a very strong influence on the
creation of stereotypes, it participates in all stages of stereotyping. With the help of
language, new stereotypes in society are transmitted, created, and maintained. Certain
language patterns are formed, phrases that contain the goal of characterizing a large
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group of people with a narrow concept.
Stereotypes help our brain process information faster and adapt to new situations.
Therefore, stereotypes can be useful to some extent. However, it is not necessary to
bring it to more serious forms (discrimination, intolerance and so on). To prevent this,
we must broaden our horizons, control what we say, change our concepts about
something.
References
1.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary/Oxford Learner’s Dictionary.
2.
Camiel J. Beukeboom, Christian Burgers «How stereotypes are shared through
language: a review and introduction of the social categories and stereotypes
communication (SCSC) framework» [journal article]
3.
Efrhn O. Phrez , Margit Tavits, The Journal of Politics «Language Influences
Public Attitudes toward Gender Equality»
4.
Бакиева, Х. В., Караева, Б. Х., Коршунова, Е. Н., Краева, И. А., Тешабаева,
Д. М., & Фролова, Г. М. (2012). Узбекский язык для стран СНГ.
5.
Тешабаева, Нодира Джураевна, and Зухриддин Ахтамжонович
Умирзаков. "Значение физиологических свойств почвообразования." Проблемы
современной науки и образования 1 (146) (2020): 22-24.
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Д. М., & Фролова, Г. М. (2012). Узбекский язык для стран СНГ. Учебник.
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Тешабаева, Д. М. "ментальность языка в медиапространстве." Вестник
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