National Stereotypes,

We know most foreign cultures, and much of our own culture, by reputation only. Actually, we have an "image" of the English, Scottish and Irish, Belgian, French or Spanish national character. Even though we personally may know a handful of people from those countries, we cannot evaluate how "typical" these persons are as representatives of their nation. But many people have no problems in recognizing certain temperamental attributes as being "typical" for certain nations: the …

…for feelings of disdain and disparagement. When tied to prejudiced attitudes, stereotypes help create a number of behaviours ranging from avoidance to violence. Furthermore, not only do stereotypes shape how and what we perceive, they also influence the behaviour of those for whom we hold the stereotype, sometimes becoming self-fulfilling stereotypes. The most important conclusion that can be drawn from the above is this: that nobody is in a position to describe a cultural identity.