Communication and mediaIn Western society, the stereotype is commonly placed on what Anglo-Saxons believe is not normal for their culture. Crucially, the media also plays a role in how people "think" and generalize about one group of individuals, based on each other's gender, race, religion, hair color, and so on. This essay will discuss the stereotype that is reinforced in specific representations in print and broadcast media, focusing on three examples of gender roles, blondes and African-Americans, and what it says about dominant ideologies. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay First, we have fixed beliefs, opinions, and attitudes that individuals have regarding the typical characteristics of female and male gender roles. These may relate to personality, where males are tough and intense, while on the other hand, females are usually weak and sensitive (Williams, La Rose & Frost, 1981). A popular example of this is in the television series "The Simpsons", an American cartoon series. In "The Simpsons", the man (i.e. Homer Simpson) is portrayed as a drunk, obese ogre who is stupid and doesn't know how to behave appropriately, or how to be a real father figure to his children. The woman (Marge Simpson, wife and mother of three), however, is portrayed as a sensitive, music-oriented, fun-loving person (Jorian, 1997). Furthermore, Gunter argues that there are two main traits in female stereotypes; firstly, there is a serious underrepresentation of women in action films in terms of actual numbers compared to men. Secondly, even when they do appear, women tend to be portrayed in only a very select range of roles. An example of this is the James Bond film "The World is Not Enough", where he is the handsome and witty hero, while the actress is portrayed as the helpless victim, even though she plays the role of a professional nuclear scientist. Furthermore, women were more likely than men to be presented as users of the product in commercials. Women were shown more often than men in the home, as housewives. The nature of the differences in sex role representation was common and in accordance with traditional sex roles. Men were typically described as having and knowledgeable about the reasons for purchasing particular products, as occupying roles with the practical consequences of purchasing products (Gunter, 1986). For example, the "Demtel" commercial, in which a man tells viewers how reliable the product is. Where for the 'Continental Pasta' commercial a mother immediately prepares dinner for her family and becomes a 'super mum'. In the same way, stereotypes are created about people with blond hair. The popular saying about blondes is that "all blondes are girls", it is becoming an increasingly common stereotype associated with blonde-haired women. The notion of a "blonde bimbo" is generally determined by age: for most people they associate it as "a young, sexy girl with long blonde hair, large breasts and long legs, stupid and superficial" (Agius, Bicknell & Watson , 1997). This suggests that stereotype images were formed from iconography rather than any evidence that there is a definite relationship between blonde hair and stupidity. The stereotype has been constructed and shaped very heavily by the media today. A key example of this is Pamela Anderson, who has been molded by the media to represent society's typical "blonde bimbo". It also fits the connotations: young, blonde hair, breasts.