Our “Did you know…” of the week

THEY’RE ALL THE SAME, a theme of the “What If I Was Wrong? When We Talk, We Learn!” awareness-raising campaign.

Did you know that the effects of a stereotype can be negative even if it is expressed in positive terms?

A study by Aaron Kay of Duke University has shown that positive stereotypes such as “Women are more intuitive” are a double-edged sword. While people are more likely inclined to believe them because they are flattering, researchers have proven that they merely reinforce racist and harmful stereotypes and beliefs[1].

Do you know of any other positive stereotypes? What do you think of this kind of twofold claim?

We invite you to consult page 101 of the campaign’s Educator’s Guide to find out how to facilitate and supervise the organization of an activity related to this theme, to enable participants to move forward in a process of self-discovery, discovery of others, and exploration of the world around them. 

Stay tuned for our next “Did you know…“!

[1] CZOPP, Alexander M., et Aaron C. KAY, Sapna CHERYAN. « Positive Stereotypes Are Pervasive and Powerful », dans Perspectives on Psychological Science, vol. 10, no 4, p. 451-463, 2015.