The textbook describes a stereotype as a set of ideas based on distortion, exaggeration, and oversimplification that is applied to all members of a social category. Popular media often use stereotypes...

The textbook describes a stereotype as a set of ideas based on distortion, exaggeration, and oversimplification that is applied to all members of a social category. Popular media often use stereotypes to convey assumed meanings about characters and situations. The Movies Cliché List at http://www.moviecliches.com/ provides an abundant list of stereotypes used in films.

a. Select “Women” from the Cliché Topics. Name some of the stereotypes about women suggested by the list.

b. Do the same for “Men” and “Minorities.”

c. Based on what you have read in the text and on these lists, do you think stereotypes are helpful in understanding social categories?