Racial Stereotypes:

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Stereotypes are judgments based upon a person’s appearance or action; it can also be an over exaggerated view on a person. A stereotype can be also interpreted as a shortcut to a person’s character development. When a person sees someone that is different from them, they tend to put a stereotype on that person. Stereotypes can be influenced through two ways, media and society. This can end up with a person have racial profiling used against them and making a negative impact on their life. Most of the ideas of racial profiling come from the media (Mass Media). The Mass Media includes forms of communication that becomes exaggerated form the truth for ratings. Reporters would use the most extreme and dramatic story that they could find, to have on the news, for that day. Mass Media author, Jennifer Akins, states “…because the media are so prevalent in industrialized countries, they have a powerful impact on how those populations view the world.” This shows that people rely on the media for views on the world. Akin also states “…it is often in the media’s interest to not only report conflict, but to play it up, making it seem more intense than it really is.” For example, when there is a strike taking place at a company, the media crew and the reporter would make the protesters start chanting and hold up their placards once the camera would be on. Then there are situations where people would see the story and how extreme the situation is then immediately look at the race of the people involved to determine a stereotype. In the end, this would lead to racial profiling. One race that is used with many stereotypes based on the media and society are Hispanics. Linda A. Jackson conducted a study called Stereotypes, Emotions, Behavior, and Overall Peña 2 Attitudes, toward Hispanics by Anglos, and she reports “Hispanics are viewed as more physically
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