IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 25, Issue 1, Series. 3 (January. 2020) 24-30 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0837-2501032430 www.iosrjournals.org 24 |Page Role of Stereotyping in Intercultural Communication Nikmah Suryandari 1 1 (Communicatin Science, University of Trunojoyo Madura, Indonesia) Abstract: Intercultural communication, in the tide of globalization, is urgently needed as an interactive communication skill by the demand for promoting economic development and cultural exchange. Eilers (1992) defined intercultural communication as an instrument which helps people with different cultural backgrounds share information, knowledge, sentiments and experiences. This notion was agreed by Spencer-Rodgers and McGovern, who stressed intercultural communication plays a crucial role in “the establishment and maintenance of favorable intergroup relations” (2002, p .610). However, the involvement of multicultural groups also complicates the situation. According to Bonacich (1990), various patterns of communication have been shaped by their cultural environments, related to their own language, values, norms, etc. In this case, the participants of intercultural communication face language obstacles, unacquainted customs and different communication styles (Spencer-Rodgers and McGovern, 2002). In order to achieve effective intercultural communication, vast studies were carried out to identify ways that linguistic and cultural barriers might be overcome (e.g. Hepburn and Locksley, 1983; Chew, 2009; Peng, 2010). Stereotyping is one of the hotly debated topics. Advisedly, stereotyping was asserted to be a critical source which could motivate inimical attitudes toward cultural difference (Dovidio et al., 1996; Stangor and Lange, 1994, cited in Spencer-Rodgers and McGovern, 2002). In this case, stereotypes play an indispensable role in influencing the effectiveness of intercultural communication. It is an accepted fact that stereotypes “dramatically shape the way we perceive and interact with members of different groups” (Power, 1996, cited in Peng, 2010, p. 244). It is deemed that stereotypes are “a very partial and inadequate way of representing the world” (Lippmann, 1992, cited in Peng, 2010, p. 244). Research has been carried out to attempt to eliminate this obstructive factor in intercultural communication (e.g. Hill and Augoustinos, 2001). However, the existence of stereotypes has been justified by some scholars. As Hughes and Baldwin (2002) indicated, stereotyping is “inherently part of the communication process” (Peng, 2010, p. 244). It plays an active role in helping individuals comprehend different cultures instantaneously in an intergroup encounter. Therefore, this paper will advocate that stereotyping has a positive impact on assisting individuals to handle an encounter with different social groups despite the fact that it may also lead to misunderstandings and negative emotions in intercultural communication. In order to present the role of stereotyping in intercultural communication, this paper will start with an introduction on stereotype from different fields, followed by a discussion of the negative influence of stereotypes on the field of intercultural communication, and then focus on the available functions of stereotypes. Subsequently, some previous research will be quoted to illustrate the inevitability of stereotyping in intercultural communication. Finally, a general conclusion will be delivered with some suggestions about how to foster effective intercultural communication. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 06-01-2020 Date of Acceptance: 21-01-2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. INTRODUCTION Stereotypes are generalized as “the tendency to categorize individuals or groups according to an oversimplified standardized image and attribute certain characteristics to all members of the group” (Moore, 2006, cited in Peng, 2010, p. 244). The inchoate known notion of stereotype is “national character” (Chew et al., 2006). This notion was formed as early as the beginning of Western civilization (Chew et al., 2006). At that time, “national character” was employed to describe foreign people in some early ethnological depictions. In the 18 th century, people from other countries were usually labeled with national characters to match the classification of certain types of governmental systems. A typical example of deepening this notion is found in Montesquieu’s famous climate theory – “North-South model”. Montesquieu asserted that cold climates made “Northern” men “vigorous and virtuous, honest and hard-working, rational and reflective” while warm climates made the “Southern” men “temperamental, impulsive, highly sensitive and indolent” (Chew et al., 2006, p. 181). As the research continued, this traditional notion was replaced by a more precise term “national stereotype” in the 1950s (Chew et al., 2006, p. 180). The name-change manifests the close connection between stereotypes and national character. In the light of this historical reason and the natural characteristics, the primary research fields