But, when the stereotype blinds us to individual differences within a class of people, it is maladaptive and potential dangerous. While it is possible for someone to develop a stereotype based on her or his own personal interaction with an individual it is unlikely . Most stereotypes are not based on personal experience, but are the result of hearsay or images concocted by the mass media or are generated within our own heads as ways of justifying our own prejudices and cruelty. For example, it was probably easier in our long ago past for people who owned slaves to be cruel to them because they stereotyped them as sub-human. Aristotle, remember, defined a slave as only human.
Stereotypes also work, to some extent, like self-fulfilling prophecy .
When we meet someone for whom we have stereotyped ideas, we look for indications of behavior that confirm our notions and disregard all behavior that disagrees with our notions. Therefore, our prophecy about what they are like is confirmed. The stereotype becomes reality. When our stereotype is positive or neutral or the group is one with whom we seldom interact, the stereotype is probably of no consequence. However, in the work place, if our stereotype is limiting or negative then it is abusive.