The attributes that people think (often wrongly) characterise a group.

• A. Role
• B. Stereotype
• C. Social identity
• D. Sub-culture

Answer: (B)

Stereotypes are fixed, oversimplified beliefs about what members of a group are like, often based on limited information and applied to everyone in the group regardless of individual differences. The statement describes people attributing certain traits to a group, even if those traits don’t actually fit all members, which is exactly how stereotypes work. They can be positive or negative and are reinforced by media, socialization, and experience, yet they ignore variation within the group and can lead to prejudice or discrimination. This idea differs from a role (the expected behavior of someone in a position), social identity (how we define ourselves through group membership), and sub-culture (a distinct set of norms within a larger culture).