You’ve probably been a victim of stereotyping by others, undoubtedly more often than you’d like.

At the same time, you may have engaged in stereotyping others, even if you’re not especially proud of it. This exercise is designed to make you sensitive to these processes so that hopefully you’ll think twice before stereotyping anyone in the future.

Directions 1. Divide the class into pairs of students.

2. One student in each pair should recall a time in which he or she was stereotyped by someone else. To keep the facts straight, describe what occurred in a few lines. Also describe how this made you feel. Spend about 5 to 10 minutes on this.

3. At the same time, the other student in each pair should recall a time in which he or she engaged in stereotyping someone else. To keep the facts straight, describe what you did in a few lines. Also describe what led you to do this.

4. The members of each pair should take turns describing their experiences as “stereotypers”

or victims of stereotyping. Be sure to explain your reactions (if you were a stereotype victim) or the things that led you to engage in stereotyping (if you were a stereotyper).

Take about 5 to 10 minutes on this process.

Questions for Discussion 1. How did the other person’s experiences as a victim or stereotyper compare to your own experiences in these roles?
2. Thinking about the experiences shared in this exercise, what factors associated with an organization may have led to the willingness to stereotype or to the reactions experienced as a victim of stereotyping? Did something about the company or its people make things better or worse? What are these factors?
3. Did this exercise make you any more sensitive to the costs of stereotyping? Do you think it will make a difference, at least for a little while?