In Communicated Stereotypes at Work, the editors and contributors posit that stereotypes communicated in the workplace remain a pervasive issue due to the dichotomy between the discriminatory and functional roles that these stereotypes can play in a range of professional settings. Contributors demonstrate that while the use of stereotypes in the workplace is distasteful and exclusionary, communicating these stereotypes can also appear—on the surface—to provide a pathway toward bonding with others, giving advice, and reducing uncertainty. The result of this dichotomy is that those who communicate stereotypes in the workplace may not view this communication from themselves or others as being problematic. With an emphasis on qualitative methods and analyses, contributors deconstruct stereotypes by exploring the theoretical, empirical, and pragmatic roles they play in communication. In doing so, authors expose the underpinnings of stereotypes and why they are communicated, focus on the role all of us play in perpetuating stereotypes, and suggest alternative modes of productive discourse. Scholars of interpersonal and organizational communication, cultural studies, and sociology as well as practitioners of various professions will find this book particularly useful.

"Why is Ouch! important? Staying silent in the face of demeaning comments, stereotypes or bias allows these attitudes and behaviors to thrive. The undermines our ability to create an inclusive workplace where all employees are welcomed, treated with respect and able to do their best work. Yet, most employees and leaders who want to speak up don't how. So, we say nothing. Finally, a video that shows the viewed exactly how to respond in moments of diversity-related tension! No blame, no guilt, no conflict - just practical, specific skills that can be immediately applied in the workplace ..."--Conteneur.

The Communicated Stereotype: From Celebrity Vilification to Everyday Talk argues that a consequential interactional dilemma is enacted when people communicate stereotypes in everyday talk. The interactional dilemma is a result of the tension between a political correctness movement that prescribes against the communication of stereotypes and the benefits gained from communicating these in conversation. Despite the punishment and shame that befalls celebrities who communicate stereotypes, people continue to communicate stereotypes in everyday conversation often evoking little if any outrage. The Communicated Stereotype advances previous theory and research related to group categorization, stereotype maintenance and functional, discourse analytic, and critical approaches by demonstrating the process whereby the vilification of celebrities diverts attention from the everyday communication of stereotypes and emboldens people to communicate stereotypes without self-criticism. The way this interactional dilemma is handled in conversation helps to explain why stereotypes are maintained over time within a culture despite deterrents intended to dissuade people from using them. An appreciation of stereotypes as poor communication choices provides the potential for the reduction of stereotype use.

The acclaimed social psychologist offers an insider’s look at his research and groundbreaking findings on stereotypes and identity. Claude M. Steele, who has been called “one of the few great social psychologists,” offers a vivid first-person account of the research that supports his groundbreaking conclusions on stereotypes and identity. He sheds new light on American social phenomena from racial and gender gaps in test scores to the belief in the superior athletic prowess of black men, and lays out a plan for mitigating these “stereotype threats” and reshaping American identities.

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What does it mean to be human? Why do we feel and behave in the ways that we do? The classic answer is that we have a special kind of intelligence. But to understand what we are as humans, we also need to know what we are like motivationally. And what is central to this story, what is special about human motivation, is that humans want to share with others their inner experiences about the world--share how they feel, what they believe, and what they want to happen in the future. They want to create a shared reality with others. People have a shared reality together when they experience having in common a feeling about something, a belief about something, or a concern about something. They feel connected to another person or group by knowing that this person or group sees the world the same way that they do--they share what is real about the world. In this work, Dr. Higgins describes how our human motivation for shared reality evolved in our species, and how it develops in our children as shared feelings, shared practices, and shared goals and roles. Shared reality is crucial to what we believe--sharing is believing. It is central to our sense of self, what we strive for and how we strive. It is basic to how we get along with others. It brings us together in fellowship and companionship, but it also tears us apart by creating in-group "bubbles" that conflict with one another. Our shared realities are the best of us, and the worst of us.

Written by leading researchers from four continents, this book offers a broad and contemporary assessment of the ways in which gender affects workplace communication and how this in turn influences people’s choices, training, opportunities and career development. A range of work situations are considered (including communication within the normal routine, in a crisis or under pressure, and during those occasions important for career development) and examples are sourced from a variety of contexts (including international business, leadership, service work, and computer-mediated communication). Gender and Communication at Work includes a diversity of theoretical perspectives in order to most successfully map the range of communication strategies, identities and roles which impact upon and are influenced by gender at work.