Exercise #38
What People Say…
Authors: Dr hab. Małgorzata Szkup
32–55 minutes
Description
Students read four short descriptions of people from different social, ethnic, and religious backgrounds and anonymously write down common opinions, stereotypes, and social simplifications that circulate in society about such individuals or the groups they belong to. The exercise surfaces how stereotypes operate, even when no one intends harm, and connects the phenomenon to professional medical practice.
Methodological Guide
Objectives
Recognize stereotypes and social simplifications applied to different groups. Understand how stereotypes affect emotions, relationships, and behaviors. Develop critical thinking about where these opinions actually come from. Realize that stereotypes operate even without personal experience as their basis. Cultivate a reflective and anti-discriminatory attitude in intercultural interactions.
Expected Outcomes
After this exercise, the student can identify and recognize a stereotype, understands how a stereotype affects the person being judged, sees that stereotypes operate even when no one intends to harm anyone, can consciously analyze their own reactions, and has a better understanding of the risks posed by oversimplifications in patient care.
Exercise Procedure
Introduction (2–3 min): Explain the purpose and sensitive nature of the exercise; emphasize anonymity; present the four profiles.
Level 1 — Individual work (5–7 min): Students enter their associations, observations, and social comments that circulate around the described individuals. They write what circulates in society, not necessarily what they personally think.
Level 2 — Group activity: displaying and organizing responses (5–10 min): Entries appear on the screen, creating a stereotype map — often surprisingly coherent. Students discuss, organize the entries, eliminate duplicates.
Level 3 — Role Play (5–10 min): Four selected students read the list of stereotypes aloud to the group, as if speaking about themselves. This may cause discomfort, making students realize that even common opinions can genuinely affect real people.
Level 4 — Discussion (5–10 min): Use discussion-supporting questions. The group begins to realize that stereotypes often do not come from personal experience — and that is precisely why they are so persistent.
Summary (5–10 min): Thank students for their engaged participation. Review the chain of discrimination.
Final reflection (5 min): Reflective journal question: How can stereotypes, even unconscious ones, influence the way I communicate, interpret behavior, and make decisions — especially in the patient relationship?
Level 1 — Individual work (5–7 min): Students enter their associations, observations, and social comments that circulate around the described individuals. They write what circulates in society, not necessarily what they personally think.
Level 2 — Group activity: displaying and organizing responses (5–10 min): Entries appear on the screen, creating a stereotype map — often surprisingly coherent. Students discuss, organize the entries, eliminate duplicates.
Level 3 — Role Play (5–10 min): Four selected students read the list of stereotypes aloud to the group, as if speaking about themselves. This may cause discomfort, making students realize that even common opinions can genuinely affect real people.
Level 4 — Discussion (5–10 min): Use discussion-supporting questions. The group begins to realize that stereotypes often do not come from personal experience — and that is precisely why they are so persistent.
Summary (5–10 min): Thank students for their engaged participation. Review the chain of discrimination.
Final reflection (5 min): Reflective journal question: How can stereotypes, even unconscious ones, influence the way I communicate, interpret behavior, and make decisions — especially in the patient relationship?
Mode of Implementation
The exercise has both individual and group components. Each student anonymously enters, from their own device, all stereotypes or common opinions that, in their view, these individuals might encounter in society. Responses appear on the board in real time. The group collectively examines this collective portrait of stereotypes. The facilitator guides the discussion, aiming to understand the mechanisms behind stereotypes, not to judge the students.
Role of the Teacher
Creates a safe atmosphere — this is crucial. Explains that the exercise is not meant to single anyone out, but to analyze the phenomenon. Moderates the conversation, ensuring it does not turn into judging groups. Summarizes the mechanisms of how stereotypes work and their consequences. Gently but consistently guides students’ attention from ‘what people say’ to ‘why people say it.’
Theoretical Basis
Stereotypes accompany us every day — they appear in language, media, traditions, and in what we learn between the lines. Key characteristics of stereotypes: they are simplified and widely shared beliefs about a social group; socially and culturally transmitted across generations; usually not formed through direct personal experience but through socialization, media, and cultural narratives; emotionally charged and value-laden, making people ignore contradicting information. This exercise fits within the EMPOWER model, encouraging critical examination of one’s own beliefs and emotions, especially when working with patients.
Practical Application
After completing the exercise, students gain a practical reference point for professional situations in which it is easy to draw premature conclusions about a patient, stereotypes may affect the quality of communication, language, background, or religion can be a barrier or source of misunderstandings, and biases — including unconscious ones — can shape decisions or clinical interactions.
Knowledge Transfer
After completing this task, students begin to more readily recognize when a stereotype is triggered automatically, learn to separate fact from social narrative, understand that stereotypes can influence diagnosis, conversation, and interpretation of patient behavior, and can observe the significant role of cultural and media context in shaping opinions.
Reinforcement & Reflection
Students are encouraged to reflect on: How did I feel when hearing these descriptions? What triggered my emotions? To what extent is what I wrote actually heard in society? How would the person being described feel about such comments? Where did my ideas for these stereotypes come from — experience, media, school, home?
Required Resources
Electronic devices (tablets, smartphones, or laptops) enabling access to the MultiCultiMed platform. An internet connection.
Assessment / Evaluation
Individual written reflection; engagement and attentiveness in the discussion; understanding the mechanisms of how stereotypes operate; ability to relate the content to professional practice.
Practical Tips
Emphasize that entries are anonymous — this encourages honesty. Be mindful of language — the goal is not to write hurtful labels, but to analyze the phenomenon. If the atmosphere becomes tense, refer back to the group agreement. Support both the role-playing students and the listeners — this part can be emotionally challenging. Conclude with a discussion about responsibility and attentiveness in medical practice.
Discussion Topics
Analysis of the chain of discrimination — how a stereotype translates into action. Exercise on unconscious biases. Working with clinical cases where a stereotype played a role.
Further Resources
Macrae, C. N., Stangor, C., & Hewstone, M. (Eds.). (1996). Stereotypes and stereotyping. Guilford Press. Dovidio, J. F., Hewstone, M., Glick, P., & Esses, V. M. (2010). The SAGE handbook of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination. SAGE Publications Ltd. Pager, D., & Shepherd, H. (2008). The sociology of discrimination. Annual Review of Sociology, 34, 181–209.
Additional Remarks
People don’t invent stereotypes — they inherit them. The sooner we understand this, the easier it is to work with empathy and openness. This exercise can be very moving — it is worth leaving a moment of silence and self-reflection at the end. Converted from text_submission to reflection_wall on 2026-04-21 to match the DOCX 'real-time board' pedagogy — students now see anonymous peer entries and react to them, producing the collective stereotype map the PRD describes.