Stereotypes and the Construction of the Social World

Stereotypes and the Construction of the Social World explores the complexity of stereotypes, guiding the reader through issues of definition and theoretical explanations from psychology and other disciplines. The book examines why people use stereotypes, which have often been represented as inaccurate, rigid and discriminatory. If that is what they are, then why would people employ such ?faulty? or ?biased? views of others?

While this book presents a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the psychological research into the individual use of stereotypes, it also presents this research within its ideological and historical context, revealing the important sociocultural factors in what we mean by ?stereotypes?. From the politics of representation and intergroup power relations, alongside individual social cognitive issues, the book provides a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary account of stereotypes and stereotyping.

Featuring a wealth of real-world examples, it will be essential reading for all students and researchers of stereotypes.

'In this impressive study of stereotypes, Perry Hinton discusses the discrepancies in their common usage, the problems associated with their social and cultural applications, and the overall complexities attendant on the conceptual attributes of the term. He deals with both the ideological purposes and consequences of stereotyping, and the possibilities of critical challenge and rejection. Along with all this, he takes into account the historical development of the term and the ways in which approaches to it have changed over time and varied within specific periods. The book is wide-ranging, clearly set out and accessibly written. I thoroughly recommend it.' - Professor Michael Pickering, Loughborough University, UK

'Perry Hinton has written a superb book on stereotypes. He begins his analysis by placing the concept of stereotype in its historical and intellectual context. His review of psychological research on stereotyping is thorough yet engaging. The book captures both the simplicity of stereotypes as mere concepts about groups of people and the complexity of their embedding in social structures and ideologies. Hinton?s book communicates so well that undergraduate students could read it with understanding. Yet, the subtlety and depth of the book?s argumentation makes it also appropriate fare for social scientists who are curious about why stereotypes exist and how they affect social life.' - Professor Alice Eagly, Northwestern University, USA