Disability Friendly

5Getting to Equal by Erasing Fear

Why is it sometimes hard to understand one another? Why do we stereotype? Why do we fear one another? Believe it or not, we do not typically stereotype because of hate. If you believe in adaptive categorization, a theory within social psychology, we stereotype to save time. Adaptive categorization is a method for people to analyze survival scenarios and understand those of other groups. “Stereotypes are closely linked to prejudices, emotion‐centered judgments or evaluations about people based on their perceived membership in a particular group” (Heinzen and Goodfriend 2019, p. 270).

Adaptive categorization is, to some degree, a form of lazy evolution—intended only for quick threat evaluation (Heinzen and Goodfriend 2019, pp. 270–272). Furthermore, this adaptive behavior suggests we first align ourselves with closer ties and then the larger community for comfort, safety, and resources. It is time we recognize that we have emotionally moved beyond needing to do this in most daily situations. However, our instinct is to understand and emotionally bond with people of our chosen in‐groups—those most like us—and to be curious or insecure around those of out‐groups. To counteract this, we must take the time to understand those we designate as “out‐groups.” We will find things that bond us, and former assumptions or categorizations will start to mean less. Most of our perceived beliefs are emotion‐based or non‐rational, not fact‐based, so we can use ...