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Psychoanalysis of Stereotype Accuracy and Inaccuracy: Commonsense Wisdom and Historical-Political Biases Toward Asians and Asian Americans

Yueh-Ting Lee （ Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA ）

Wenting Chen （ Capital Normal University, Beijing City, China ）

Yongping Zhao （ Southwest University, Chongqing City, China ）

Abstract

Stereotypes are scientifically more complicate than people usually think politically. The EPA (Evaluation-Potential-Accuracy) cubic theory of stereotypes by Lee and colleagues (Lee, Jamnik & Chen, 2023; Lee, Vue, Seklecki & Ma,2007; Lee & Zhao, 2019) helps to address it in this paper. The authors first examine stereotypes as a common-sense wisdom in a daily interaction. Next, they analyze the degree to which the stereotypes of Asian Americans as foreigners or hi-tech slaves (rather than leaders) actually reflect social injustice and discrimination against Asian Americans, including the unfair immigration policy toward Asians and Asian Americans in the past, and the glass ceiling effect against Asian Americans in higher education, business, government settings or other arenas. Historically and statistically, most Asian Americans who did not come to the USA until after the Hart-Cellar Act was passed in 1965, are relatively new (or foreign) and speak English with an accent. While Asian Americans were better educated than other groups with regard to professional or other degrees from higher education, they were least likely to be put in leadership roles. Finally, it is concluded that in order to change negative and accurate-inaccurate stereotypes, we must get unfair social realities and structures changed, which also requires Asian Americans to get actively involved in this change process.

Keywords

Cultureal stereotype accuracy-inaccuracy; Commonsense wisdom; Immigration history and discrimination; Asian American leadership; The Glass-Ceiling Effect

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