ABSTRACT
Stereotypes are the definitive measure of Chicana/os. As societal, consensually held beliefs about the characteristics of Chicana/os, stereotypes prescribe behavior: They tell Chicana/os who they are supposed to be and how they are supposed to behave and allow them to pass judgment on themselves and others based on these prescriptions and expectations of behavior (Fiske & Taylor, 1991; Jones, 1997; Jussim, McCauley, & Lee, 1995). Stereotypes exist not only in the minds of individuals, but also in the “fabric of the society” itself (Stangor & Shaller, 2000, p. 68). As societal beliefs, they are very difficult to change. Stereotypes are insidiously powerful, as they not only affect outsiders’ expectations, but also our expectations of ourselves (Cooley, 1902; Niemann & Dovidio, 1998; Pollak & Niemann, 1998, 1999; Steele, 1997). Consequently, we come to see ourselves in ways that we believe others see us such that stereotypes about who we are can become self-fulfilling prophecies (Cooley; Kanter, 1977; Pinel, in press; Steele, 1997).
