Bias and Stereotypes Making choices about text construction

Bias and Stereotypes

§ Making choices about text construction to influence the way the audience responds or reacts to a text § When we discuss the representation of certain ‘things’ we often refer to them as either having negative or positive bias. § This bias is created through Øpersuasive techniques Øevaluative language Øvisual language.

• Many ideas shared in texts and conversations are unfair in that they do not recognise diversity or difference between people and groups. • We need to learn not to accept unfair ideas and realise that they are often based on stereotypes or biases • News media texts often serve to promote stereotypes and deliver biased reporting

• Prejudice in favour of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.

• Unfair, general ideas (generalisations) about people based on narrow or inaccurate ideas about what people might be like, can’t/can do and should/shouldn’t do. They allow for little or no individual differences. • Stereotypes can be positive or negative. E. g. Ideas about what boys, girls, men, women, elderly, teenagers, people with special needs or from different communities can/can’t do. àelderly people are inactive, women only are ‘carers’, men are ‘workers’

STEREOTYPES ACTIVITY With a partner discuss the stereotypes that exist of refugees. Once you have come to an agreement note these in your English book