... to discrimination and prejudice. Stereotyping occurs when stereotypes are put into action in society. Stereotyping is underlined by categorisation. Categorisation can lead to positive effects. In society people's self-esteem can be enhanced because they can gain support from people categorised as similar to themselves. Stereotypes generally offer a way of quickly processing information related to both individuals and social groups. It is often over-generalised views and beliefs that lead to an overlook of variety and detail of individuals within a stereotyped group. Schemas are developed during life and are organised pockets that hold information about the world within long-term memory; Bower et al (1979) showed that people often hold similar schemas about everyday things such as a restaurant meal. Several people were asked to list the most important events related to having a meal in a restaurant. It was found that most included similar events such as sitting down, selecting food, ...

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