STEREOTYPING: IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE

Goal To explore how stereotypes can affect personal interactions. Participants will identify positive and negative traits for various jungle animals.

Time Required Approximately 45 minutes

Group Size Five subgroups of three to five persons each

Materials

• Pictures or figures of each of the following animals: giraffe, zebra, lion, elephant, gorilla

• Five newsprint sheets and a felt-tipped marker for the facilitator

• Masking tape for posting newsprint sheets

• One copy of the It’s a Jungle out There Worksheet and a pencil for each person

PROCESS

1. Prior to the session, obtain the animal pictures or figures and place one each at five different tables or stations. Prepare one newsprint sheet with the name of each animal, and post.

2. As participants arrive, randomly assign each to one of the designated tables or stations.

3. Distribute a worksheet and a pencil to each person. Explain that each subgroup is to prepare a list of the traits, both positive and negative, that describe each of the five animals.

4. Allow approximately 15 minutes for group work, giving a 5-minute warning before time expires.

5. For each animal in turn, use a round-robin format to have the groups provide their lists of traits and record the words and phrases on the appropriate newsprint sheet.

6. Facilitate a large group discussion by asking the following questions:

• For those groups whose animals were described by others, how closely did the traits match your own list?

• How can we relate this exercise to stereotyping people?

• How are stereotypes formed?

• What stereotypical assumptions do we make about people?

• How do these assumptions affect our expectations of customers?

• How can service providers refrain from applying stereotypes?

VARIATION

After preparing the list of traits, have each subgroup identify customer behaviors that might be suggested by its assigned animal picture.

IT’S A JUNGLE OUT THERE WORKSHEET

Directions: Using words or phrases, describe several traits or characteristics (positive and negative) of each animal shown below.

Animal	Traits or Characteristics
Giraffe
Zebra
Lion
Elephant
Gorilla