Exercise 2.4 continued: Stereotypes

 

Produce a set of three images, two false, one true. Show them to as many people you can and keep a track on the results. Can people spot the genuine image? Look for a pattern. Do people want the person to be something other than what they actually are? 
 

The aim here is to get people to question what a doctor or a student or a politician looks like.  

Write around 250 words in your learning log or blog reflecting on what you’ve found out about stereotypes and our need to ascribe characteristics to particular roles.

 

I'm finding this difficult to set up as most of my friends and acquaintences work or lead active lives, but not in paid roles.  I've been trying to think up which ones would be willing to help me cover this exercise of dressing as what they normally do and other roles which they wouldn't normally cover.

That's only half the work as I'll then have to trawl the images round to other people asking about which job my pictures show is the one that this person really does.

I found a friend who was willing to particpate in this exercise, thanks Rosie and Daisy her daughter.

Hooligan

House agent

Nurse

I've produced 3 for the purposes of this exercise.  I'll take the images out tomorrow to see what people think.

30th November Sample
I've been asking people I know and those who were strangers to me and the consensus of opinion was that the first image of this person dressed as a hooligan was way out of character for the person.
The majority of people, ie, 8 out of 12, asked thought that picture 2, the estate agent, was the correct job for this person.  Reasons given were that:

• she was smartly dressed
• looked like she was holding an appoinment book which would be essential in this job
• gave the impression that this was her job

Picture 3 of the nurse was given 4 votes and the reasons given were:

•  that she was dressed for the job and had the necessary equipment
• she looked caring

I know it's not a very scientific study but enough to show that wearing the correct clothes the majority of people can pass for something they are not but that they might aspire to.  American humorist Mark Twain said, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." Twain has a point. Often, before others know anything else about you, they judge your outward appearance.  It's often said that job applicants can win or lose a job in the first 30 seconds of an interview, just on first impressions.