Stereotype

To me the word stereotype means to make a judgment about a person or group of people based on what you think you know about them, as opposed to actually getting to know them. Whether, you base those assumptions on a person's sex, race, heritage, or social status. I think most people stereotype others to some degree or another.
I think people who didn't know me would stereotype me as stuck up or unsocial. I tend to be shy and quiet until I get to know others and am comfortable with them. I think a lot of people assume that by me not being outgoing or outspoken that I am stuck up and think I'm better than other people. In reality I am very friendly once I warm up to people; I am also not the type of person who thinks they are better than others. On the other hand if I do get to know someone and I don't think they are a nice person then I do not go out of my way to speak to them, or be overly friendly. Which in my opinion is not being stuck up or thinking I'm better than someone else, it is not being fake person. A quality I rather like in myself and other people. I can at times be unsocial, I don't enjoy large groups and tend to stick to my small circle of people who I trust rather than going out and meeting new people so I guess in some ways I could be considered unsocial.
For the most part I think people tend to make snap judgments about other people, not necessarily meant in a harmful way, but I think it's just human nature. It can make actually getting to know someone and changing your opinion of them a real eye opening experience. There are people who I think stereotype other people to make themselves feel better about their own lives and that to me is very unfortunate.
Stereotyping can be very harmful, if that person is in a position of power such as at a place of employment or school setting. If a person's views are skewed one way or another it will make them treat that other person differently. Possibly pass over for a raise or promotion at work or not being hired at all. A teacher grading a student or group of students differently than others based on what they think of them. Another way of looking at being stereotyped would be on a positive note. If a person or group of people is stereotyped often enough for long enough it can make them stronger and work harder to get what it is that they want. Sometimes all a person needs is enough people telling them that they cannot achieve something for them to prove everyone wrong by doing it better than anyone else had done before.