Southwest Airlines Professional Communications Certification Practice Exam

Stating all women are emotionally supportive is an example of which of the following terms?

1. Discrimination

2. Stereotyping

3. Generalization

4. Prejudice

The correct answer is: Stereotyping

The statement "all women are emotionally supportive" exemplifies stereotyping because it assigns a specific characteristic to an entire group based on gender. Stereotyping involves oversimplified and widely held beliefs or notions about a particular category of people, which in this case involves attributing emotional supportiveness exclusively to women. This form of categorization can lead to misunderstandings and does not account for the diverse range of behaviors and characteristics found within any group. While generalization might seem closely related, it typically involves some recognition of variability within a group, whereas stereotyping often disregards individual differences. Discrimination refers to actions taken based on these stereotypes, and prejudice denotes a preconceived opinion or judgment often rooted in stereotypes. Thus, saying that all women possess the emotional support trait aligns best with the concept of stereotyping.