Identify a situation where stereotypes (as a schemata used in organizing perceptions) may be useful and helpful in a communication situation. Next, identify a situation in which that same stereotype becomes unproductive and perhaps damaging. Look for both the useful and necessary aspects of stereotyping, as well as the negative connotations this term often carries. That is, stereotypes allow humans to make predictions about situations and people, and that this is a necessary process so we are not constantly overwhelmed with new information. However, this can be unproductive if we do not continually seek to engage in person-centeredness to distinguish people from the social groups that categorize them.
