Suppose that Philani is gay, but he does not fit your stereotype of gay people: he wears baggy jeans, constantly swears, has sloppy table manners, and enjoys sports.Instead of changing the way you think about gay people as a group, however, you just decide that Philani belongs to a special class of gay people ('gay jocks').This would be an example of ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The situation described is an example of subtyping, which refers to creating a subcategory for individuals who do not fit the stereotype of their group. In this case, Philani is a gay person who enjoys sports and does not fit the stereotype of gay people as effeminate and fashion-conscious. Therefore, the person creates a new subcategory of "gay jocks" to explain his behavior instead of challenging or changing their stereotypical views about gay people.

Suppose That Philani Is Gay, but He Does Not Fit