Logical Errors

Logical Fallacies

Faulty Arguments

Relevance

Stereotyping

The fallacy of stereotyping operates in reverse of the fallacy of generalization. In this case, the speaker deduces a characteristic about one member of a class, based on characteristics generally attributed to that class. For example, people may stereotype Chinese as clever and inscrutable, Germans as cold and analytical, French and Italians as romantic and emotional, and other races and nationalities in more damaging terms. Stereotyping very often plays a large part in employment discrimination. A foreman may say, "Look, there's no way in the world a physically handicapped person can do this job." Yet, without specifying the exact nature of the handicap or the exact requirements of the job, this statement presents many applicants with what discrimination specialists call an unrebuttable `presumption of incompetence. The fallacy of stereotyping prevents the speaker from taking into account those features of the individual differ from the commonly accepted features of the overall group.

Parent Topics:

Map of Logical Errors