Abstract
Language plays a key role in shaping and maintaining social-category stereotypes. While past research often examined isolated linguistic features in experimenter-generated sentences, in largely independent fields, this article takes an integrative approach by focusing on how stereotypes are communicated in natural, freely generated language. As social-category stereotypes are generalized impressions, a central mechanism in linguistic stereotyping is generalization, expressed in language that generalizes across individuals, situations, and time. I first examine how generalization takes shape in communication about others, and how this results in stereotype formation in recipients. Next, I explore when people generalize in their communication, rather than specify and use more nuanced descriptions about individual, situated behavior. Together, this reveals how everyday language perpetuates stereotypes in society. In conclusion, I discuss potential future research directions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 750-765 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Atlantic Journal of Communication |
| Volume | 33 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Early online date | 17 Jul 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2025 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Funding
This work was supported by the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek [406.22.SW.008]. This publication is part of the project \u2018Uncovering Biased Language Use: Understanding the Communication of Stereotypes in Natural Language,\u2019 funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) to C. J. Beukeboom. Project #: 406.22.SW.008 of the Open Competition M Research Program https://www.nwo.nl/projecten/40622sw008. Project website: https://stereotypecommunication.com/ The author thanks Kim Beenen, Pia Sommerauer, Christian Burgers, and Antske Fokkens for their invaluable contribution to this project. This publication is part of the project \u2018Uncovering Biased Language Use: Understanding the Communication of Stereotypes in Natural Language,\u2019 funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) to C. J. Beukeboom. Project #: 406.22.SW.008 of the Open Competition M Research Program https://www.nwo.nl/projecten/40622sw008 .
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Antske Fokkens | |
| Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek | 406.22, SW.008 |
Keywords
- stereotypes
- social category
- linguistic bias
- language
- intergroup communication