Which sentence is an example of a stereotype?

Which sentence is an example of a stereotype?

• A. Listening to someone share their feelings.
• B. Assuming all teenagers are reckless drivers.
• C. Treating people as individuals.
• D. Learning about a culture before judging.

Answer: (B)

Stereotypes are fixed, oversimplified beliefs about a group that ignore individual differences. The sentence about assuming all teenagers are reckless drivers fits that idea because it generalizes a negative trait to every person in the group, using “all” to claim a universal characteristic. It treats a diverse group as if every member shares the same behavior, which is the essence of stereotyping. The other statements describe listening with empathy, treating people as individuals, and seeking to learn about a culture before judging—those ideas reject stereotypes and promote nuance.

Stereotypes are fixed, oversimplified beliefs about a group that ignore individual differences. The sentence about assuming all teenagers are reckless drivers fits that idea because it generalizes a negative trait to every person in the group, using “all” to claim a universal characteristic. It treats a diverse group as if every member shares the same behavior, which is the essence of stereotyping. The other statements describe listening with empathy, treating people as individuals, and seeking to learn about a culture before judging—those ideas reject stereotypes and promote nuance.