They are especially harmful to young children, who are in the process of developing who they are and how they relate to others. As early as age two, children learn how they are similar to and different from others. They notice how the people around them feel about those differences. What they learn determines how they will act toward other people and will feel about themselves.
Daily life exposes everyone to subtle messages that reinforce prejudiced stereotypes.
Bias not only appears in what the messages say, but in what or who they leave out. Biased messages come across in books, movies, ads, and television. We also hear them from friends and neighbors, and at school and work. Children are especially vulnerable to the advertising directed at them. To combat bias, actively recognize and challenge stereotypes.