Stereotypes Against Asian-Americans
Stereotypes Against Asian-Americans
The concept of stereotype is defined as “a belief that associates a group of people with certain traits” (Kassin, Fein, & Markus et al., 2008, p. 133), which can influence a person’s thinking process and perception of others as well as the world. Stereotypes are related to other concepts, such as prejudice and discrimination, which strengthen the distortion of people’s reality. Another component of a stereotype includes the concept of outgroup homogeneity effect which is the “tendency to assume that there is greater similarity among members of outgroups than among members of ingroups” (Kassin et al., 2008, p. 135). The concept of outgroup homogeneity effect refers to a misconception of others caused by people’s tendency to overestimate the similarities between outgroups and to underestimate the similarities within ingroups (Kassin et al., 2008, p. 135). The purpose of this research is to show the depiction of stereotypes through the movie Gran Torino, and to reveal the reality of those stereotypes through a New York Times article by performing an illusory correlation between the two sources.
Although stereotypes can be a positive or negative in evaluation, most stereotypes have a negative impact on the targeted group which shapes the group’s perception. The concept of stereotype is explicitly seen in the movie, Gran Torino, which depicts the stereotype, prejudice and discrimination that a Korean War veteran has towards his Hmong-Chinese ethnic group- neighbors, especially toward a teen boy called, Tao. The protagonist, Walt Kowaslki, is a Korean War veteran who had a life and death experience with Asians and as a result, it changed his personality and perspective towards Asians. Therefore, this is the motive that leads him to create resentful feelings and beliefs towards his neighbors who are part of the Chinese ethnic group called Hmong. However, the concept of stereotype can also be addressed in the New York Times
The concept of stereotype is defined as “a belief that associates a group of people with certain traits” (Kassin, Fein, & Markus et al., 2008, p. 133), which can influence a person’s thinking process and perception of others as well as the world. Stereotypes are related to other concepts, such as prejudice and discrimination, which strengthen the distortion of people’s reality. Another component of a stereotype includes the concept of outgroup homogeneity effect which is the “tendency to assume that there is greater similarity among members of outgroups than among members of ingroups” (Kassin et al., 2008, p. 135). The concept of outgroup homogeneity effect refers to a misconception of others caused by people’s tendency to overestimate the similarities between outgroups and to underestimate the similarities within ingroups (Kassin et al., 2008, p. 135). The purpose of this research is to show the depiction of stereotypes through the movie Gran Torino, and to reveal the reality of those stereotypes through a New York Times article by performing an illusory correlation between the two sources.
Although stereotypes can be a positive or negative in evaluation, most stereotypes have a negative impact on the targeted group which shapes the group’s perception. The concept of stereotype is explicitly seen in the movie, Gran Torino, which depicts the stereotype, prejudice and discrimination that a Korean War veteran has towards his Hmong-Chinese ethnic group- neighbors, especially toward a teen boy called, Tao. The protagonist, Walt Kowaslki, is a Korean War veteran who had a life and death experience with Asians and as a result, it changed his personality and perspective towards Asians. Therefore, this is the motive that leads him to create resentful feelings and beliefs towards his neighbors who are part of the Chinese ethnic group called Hmong. However, the concept of stereotype can also be addressed in the New York Times
References: Eastwood, C., Gerber, B., Lorenz, R. (Producers), & Eastwood, C. (Director). (2008). Gran Torino [Motion picture]. United States: Warner Bros. Entertainment. Kassin, S., Fein, & Markus, H.R. (2008). Social Psychology. Boston, New York: Houghton Mifllin. Lewin, Tamer (2008, June, 10). Report Takes Aim at ‘Model Minority’ Stereotype of Asian-American Students. Retrieved February 23, 2009, from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/education/10asians.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Model%20Minority&st=cse