Stereotypes of white Americans

Last updated

Stereotypes of European Americans in the United States are misleading generalizations about the character, behavior, or appearance of white Americans by other Americans in the United States. For stereotypes about Americans by people of other nationalities, see Stereotypes of Americans.[ citation needed ]

Contents

As the definition of white Americans has changed over time, so have stereotypes about white people. Different non-white American groups and different nationalities have different stereotypes about white Americans. Historically, stereotypes about white people were more likely to be based on specific ethnicities. Stereotypes of white people also generally tend to fall along class lines, with upper class white Americans being stereotyped as WASPs and lower class white Americans as "rednecks".[ citation needed ]

White Americans are stereotyped to be greedy, materialistic, racist, terrible dancers, and terrible at basketball.[ citation needed ]

In the media, White Americans are often stereotyped to be white-collar suburbanites who are middle class or wealthy. [1] White men are often stereotyped as ambitious, arrogant, racist, and uncoordinated. White women are often stereotyped as unintelligent, overly focused on appearance, and sexually available, with the names Becky and Karen sometimes used as pejoratives based on stereotypes of white women.

White Americans are also stereotyped as being privileged, very self-involved, delusional about people other than themselves, and are incapable of comprehending the ways in which minorities and people of color survive. Positive stereotypes of White Americans include that they are intelligent, socially diverse, non-dangerous and unlikely to commit crimes. Negative stereotypes of whites are that they are racist and otherwise prejudiced, and often feel scared or uneasy when around minorities. [2]

Stereotype

Social stereotypes

In general, stereotypes of white people portray upper class white Americans as WASPs and they portray lower class white Americans as "backward", "barely-educated" rednecks. [3] Rednecks, conversely are seen as "racist, hot-headed, too physical, violent, uncouth, loud, mean, undereducated—and proud of it." [4]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, entitled White women were often stereotypically dubbed as Karens while displaying unhinged behavior. [5] The name of the slang comes from a common name for older white women, Karen.[ citation needed ]

Academic studies

An early study of stereotypes of white people found in works of fiction which where written by African-American authors was conducted by African-American sociologist Tilman C. Cothran in 1950. The top five stereotypical qualities of whites that Cothran noted in his research were: [6]

  1. Feels superior
  2. Hates Black people
  3. Brutish, impulsive, mean
  4. Proud
  5. Doesn't like Jews.

Other stereotypical qualities he listed were "think they know the Negro," but do not, being "unfair, deceitful, tricky," "think[ing] it's a white man's world" and being "cowardly." [6] In another study on stereotypes in 1951, Cothran observed that the black lower and upper classes at that time had the least favorable stereotypes about white people, and the black middle class the most favorable. [7]

In a 1972 study, American whites were stereotyped as "materialistic and pleasure loving" when compared with Asian and African Americans. [8] In a study among college students of different races in 1982, White Americans were described as materialistic, ambitious, intelligent, conventional, industrious, and conservative. The study's author noted that the white stereotype had decreased in favorability over the years while the black stereotype had increased. [9]

White women in particular were described as attractive, blonde, ditsy, shallow, privileged, sexually available, and appearance-focused by non-white participants in a 2013 study. The author of the paper also found that the stereotypes were consistent with media images of white women and noted the relative scarcity of research on white American stereotypes compared to research on other racial stereotypes. [10] [11]

In a 2018 study of children of different races, six year olds chose photos of white men as being "really smart" over photos of white women or black and brown people. [12]

Becky and Karen have been used as terms to refer to white women who act in a clueless, condescending or entitled way; [13] the stereotype names come from common names for white women. Kyle, a similarly named stereotype, refers to an angry white teenage boy who consumes energy drinks, punches holes into drywall, and plays video games. [14]

The blog Stuff White People Like, written by a white man and an Asian man, addressed early 21st century stereotypes of white hipster bohemians in a humorous way. [15] Comedian Dave Chappelle also used humor to address the stereotype that white Americans cannot dance in a sketch in which groups of whites erupt into frenzied dancing every time they hear an electric guitar. [16]

Negative portrayals of specific groups of white people

As the social definition of "white people" has changed over the years, studies have shown that members of different races, ethnicities, and nationalities have different stereotypes of white people. [17] [18] Before the 1980s, ethnic groups such as the Irish, Italians, Armenians, and Polish people were portrayed in popular media and culture in a negative fashion. [19] Stereotypes of West Virginians and Alabamians include incest and inbreeding. [20] Poor whites in the Appalachian region have often been stereotyped as hillbillies. [21] White Hispanic and Latino Americans are often overlooked by the U.S. mass media and frequently, American social perceptions incorrectly give the terms "Hispanic or Latino" a racial value, usually mixed-race, such as Mestizo, [22] [23] while they, in turn, are overrepresented in the U.S. Hispanic mass media, are admired by it, and shape social perceptions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethnic stereotype</span> Belief in certain typical characteristics for a grouping of people

An ethnic stereotype or racial stereotype involves part of a system of beliefs about typical characteristics of members of a given ethnic group, their status, societal and cultural norms. A national stereotype does the same for a given nationality. The stereotyping may be used for humor in jokes, and/or may be associated with racism.

Racial discrimination is any discrimination against any individual on the basis of their race, ancestry, ethnicity, and/or skin color and hair texture. Individuals can discriminate by refusing to do business with, socialize with, or share resources with people of a certain group. Governments can discriminate explicitly in law, for example through policies of racial segregation, disparate enforcement of laws, or disproportionate allocation of resources. Some jurisdictions have anti-discrimination laws which prohibit the government or individuals from being discriminated based on race in various circumstances. Some institutions and laws use affirmative action to attempt to overcome or compensate for the effects of racial discrimination. In some cases, this is simply enhanced recruitment of members of underrepresented groups; in other cases, there are firm racial quotas. Opponents of strong remedies like quotas characterize them as reverse discrimination, where members of a dominant or majority group are discriminated against.

The term "person of color" is primarily used to describe any person who is not considered "white". In its current meaning, the term originated in, and is primarily associated with, the United States; however, since the 2010s, it has been adopted elsewhere in the Anglosphere, including relatively limited usage in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, South Africa, and Singapore.

Racism has been reflected in discriminatory laws, practices, and actions against "racial" or ethnic groups throughout the history of the United States. Since the early colonial era, White Americans have generally enjoyed legally or socially sanctioned privileges and rights which have been denied to members of various ethnic or minority groups at various times. European Americans have enjoyed advantages in matters of education, immigration, voting rights, citizenship, land acquisition, and criminal procedure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Americans</span> White people of the United States

White Americans are Americans who identify as white people. This group constitutes the majority of the people in the United States. According to the 2020 census, 71%, or 235,411,507 people, were White alone or in combination, and 61.6%, or 204,277,273 people, were White alone. This represented a national white demographic decline from a 72.4% white alone share of the U.S. population in 2010.

Covert racism is a form of racial discrimination that is disguised and subtle, rather than public or obvious. Concealed in the fabric of society, covert racism discriminates against individuals through often evasive or seemingly passive methods. Covert, racially biased decisions are often hidden or rationalized with an explanation that society is more willing to accept. These racial biases cause a variety of problems that work to empower the suppressors while diminishing the rights and powers of the oppressed. Covert racism often works subliminally, and much of the discrimination is done subconsciously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stereotypes of African Americans</span> Generalizations and stereotypes linked to racism against African Americans

Stereotypes of African Americans are misleading beliefs about the culture of people with partial or total ancestry from any black racial groups of Africa whose ancestors resided in the United States since before 1865, largely connected to the racism and the discrimination to which African Americans are subjected. These beliefs date back to the slavery of black people during the colonial era and they have evolved within American society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stereotypes of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States</span>

Stereotypes of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States are general representations of Americans considered to be of Hispanic and Latino ancestry or immigrants to the United States from Spain or Latin America, often exhibited in negative caricatures or terms. Latin America is comprise of all the countries in the Americas that were originally colonized by the Spaniards, French, or Portuguese. "Latino" is the umbrella term for people of Latin American descent that in recent years has supplanted the more imprecise and bureaucratic designation "Hispanic." Part of the mystery and the difficulty of comprehension lie in the fact that the territory called Latin America is not homogeneous in nature or culture. Latin American stereotypes have the greatest impact on public perceptions, and Latin Americans were the most negatively rated on several characteristics. Americans' perceptions of the characteristics of Latin American immigrants are often linked to their beliefs about the impact of immigration on unemployment, schools, and crime.

Internalized racism is a form of internalized oppression, defined by sociologist Karen D. Pyke as the "internalization of racial oppression by the racially subordinated." In her study The Psychology of Racism, Robin Nicole Johnson emphasizes that internalized racism involves both "conscious and unconscious acceptance of a racial hierarchy in which a presumed superior race are consistently ranked above other races. These definitions encompass a wide range of instances, including, but not limited to, belief in negative stereotypes, adaptations to cultural standards, and thinking that supports the status quo.

White Hispanic and Latino Americans, also called Euro-Hispanics, Euro-Latinos, White Hispanics, or White Latinos, are Americans of white ancestry and ancestry from Latin America. It also refers to people of European ancestry from Latin America that speak Spanish natively and immigrated to the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Race in the United States criminal justice system</span>

Race in the United States criminal justice system refers to the unique experiences and disparities in the United States in regard to the policing and prosecuting of various races. There have been different outcomes for different racial groups in convicting and sentencing felons in the United States criminal justice system. Although prior arrests and criminal history is also a factor. Experts and analysts have debated the relative importance of different factors that have led to these disparities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Non-Hispanic whites</span> White Americans who are not Hispanic

Non-Hispanic Whites, Non-Latino Whites, or more simply White Americans, are Americans classified by the United States census as "white" and not Hispanic. According to the United States Census Bureau yearly estimates, as of July 1, 2022, Non-Hispanic whites make up about 59.3% of the U.S. population, or 197,639,521 people. The United States Census Bureau defines white to include European Americans, Middle Eastern Americans, and North African Americans. Americans of European ancestry are divided into various ethnic groups. More than half of the white population are German, Irish, English, French and Polish Americans. Many Americans are also the product of other European groups that migrated to parts of the US in the 19th and 20th centuries, as the bulk of immigrants from various countries in Northern, Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, as well as the Caucasus region, migrated to the United States.

There are stereotypes of various groups of people which live within the United States and contribute to its culture. Worldwide, a disproportionately high number of people know about these stereotypes, due to the transmission of American culture and values via the exportation of American-made films and television shows.

Research shows many health disparities among different racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Different outcomes in mental and physical health exist between all U.S. Census-recognized racial groups, but these differences stem from different historical and current factors, including genetics, socioeconomic factors, and racism. Research has demonstrated that numerous health care professionals show implicit bias in the way that they treat patients. Certain diseases have a higher prevalence among specific racial groups, and life expectancy also varies across groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sociology of race and ethnic relations</span> Field of study

The sociology of race and ethnic relations is the study of social, political, and economic relations between races and ethnicities at all levels of society. This area encompasses the study of systemic racism, like residential segregation and other complex social processes between different racial and ethnic groups.

In the United States, racial inequality refers to the social inequality and advantages and disparities that affect different races. These can also be seen as a result of historic oppression, inequality of inheritance, or racism and prejudice, especially against minority groups.

Second-generation immigrants in the United States are individuals born and raised in the United States who have at least one foreign-born parent. Although the term is an oxymoron which is often used ambiguously, this definition is cited by major research centers including the United States Census Bureau and the Pew Research Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Race and sexuality</span> Intercultural and interracial sexuality

Concepts of race and sexuality have interacted in various ways in different historical contexts. While partially based on physical similarities within groups, race is understood by scientists to be a social construct rather than a biological reality. Human sexuality involves biological, erotic, physical, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviors.

The relationship between race and video games has received substantial academic and journalistic attention. Games offer opportunities for players to explore, practice, and re-enforce cultural and social identities. Because of the multifaceted cultural implications of video games, there may be issues of race involved in the player base, the creative process, or within the game's universe. Video games predominantly created and played by one racial group can unintentionally perpetuate racial stereotypes and limit players' choices to preconceived notions of racial bias, and issues of representation and harassment may arise in the industry and the player community.

Becky is a female nickname for Rebecca. In some areas of popular culture, the name is a pejorative American slang term for a young white woman. The term has come to be associated with a "white girl who loves Starbucks and Uggs"; for this reason, "Becky" is often associated with the slang term "basic", which has many similar connotations.

References

  1. ↑ Interracial Communication: Theory Into Practice. p. 220.
  2. ↑ Diversity Teacher (survival guide for teaching in a diverse classroom).
  3. ↑ Deggans, Eric (May 1, 2013). "On 'Hicksploitation' And Other White Stereotypes Seen On TV". NPR . Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Redneck Stereotype". Facinghistory.org. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  5. ↑ Tiffany, Kaitlyn (6 May 2020). "How 'Karen' Became a Coronavirus Villain". The Atlantic.
  6. 1 2 Cothran, Tilman (1950). "White Stereotypes in Fiction by Negroes". Phylon. 11 (3): 252–256. doi:10.2307/272012. JSTOR   272012 . Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  7. ↑ Cothran, Tilman C. (March 1951). "Negro Conceptions of White People". American Journal of Sociology. 56 (5): 458–467. doi:10.1086/220791. S2CID   144012717 . Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  8. ↑ Makovitch, MInako Kurukawa (March 5, 1972). "Reciprocity in Racial Stereotypes: White, Black and Yellow". American Journal of Sociology. 77 (5): 876–897. doi:10.1086/225229. JSTOR   2776927. S2CID   143996344 . Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  9. ↑ Clark and Pearson (1982). "Racial Stereotypes Revisited". International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 6 (4): 381–393. doi:10.1016/0147-1767(82)90020-7 . Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  10. ↑ Conley, Terri D. (2013). "Beautiful, Self-absorbed and Shallow: People of Color Perceive White Women as An Ethnically Marked Category" (PDF). Journal of Applied Psychology (43): 45–56. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  11. ↑ Christopher B. Doob (2019). Social Inequality and Social Stratification in US Society. ISBN   9781000007626.
  12. ↑ Khan, Amina (October 23, 2018). "By Age 6, Kids Tend To See White Men As More Brilliant Than White Women". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  13. ↑ Young, Damon (27 April 2016). "Where 'Becky' Comes From, And Why It's Not Racist, Explained". The Root .
  14. ↑ "How 'Kyle' became synonymous with angry, Monster Energy-chugging white boys". Daily Dot. 2019-07-18. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
  15. ↑ Lisa Respers France (2009-01-29). "Finding humor in 'Stuff White People Like'". CNN.
  16. ↑ Chapelle, Dave (22 August 2017). "Dave Chappelle, White People Can't Dance". Critical Media Project. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  17. ↑ Fernandez, R. America Beyond black and white: How Immigrants and Fusions are Helping Us Overcome the Racial Divide. University of Michigan Press. p. 174.
  18. ↑ Han, A. and Hsu, J.Y. (2004) Asian American X: An Intersection of 21st Century Asian American Voices. University of Michigan Press. p. 208.
  19. ↑ Leo W. Jeffres, K. Kyoon Hur (1979) " white Ethnics and their Media Images", Journal of Communication 29 (1), 116–122.
  20. ↑ Lapidos, Juliet (3 June 2008). "How Did West Virginia get a reputation for inbreeding?". Slate.
  21. ↑ "Rural White Stereotyping". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  22. ↑ Richard Rodriguez. "A CULTURAL IDENTITY". PBS . Archived from the original on 2014-01-01. Retrieved 2017-09-15.
  23. ↑ "Hispanics: A Culture, Not a Race". campello.tripod.com.
  24. ↑ Newsweek Staff (June 18, 2003). "Y Tu Black Mama Tambien". Newsweek .
  25. ↑ The Blond, Blue-Eyed Face of Spanish TV [ permanent dead link ]
  26. ↑ "Blonde, Blue-Eyed Euro-Cute Latinos on Spanish TV".
  27. ↑ "What are Telenovelas? - Hispanic Culture".
  28. ↑ "RACIAL BIAS CHARGED ON SPANISH-LANGUAGE TV". Sun-Sentinel . Archived from the original on 2012-09-15. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
  29. ↑ "Pride or prejudice?". Boston.com .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.