Events around the country have changed many people’s views of the different races in this melting pot we live in, such as 9/11, Virginia Tech and the D.C. snipers to mention a few. To find out some of the thoughts students on campus have, we will interview those with different racial backgrounds, and ask questions about what events, what people or how the media have changed their perception. Elliot Jones and I, Kristin Mason, wanted to find out the most common stereotypes people held, and the typecasts they may hold against others and why. To navigate throughout the media, click the orange text.
Typecasting is defined as the science of first impressions. Typecasting is the same as stereotyping. It is utilized and exhibited mostly toward cultures of the world. To many people, the first impression is the appearance of the subject. If the appearance is darker, lighter, different looking, or differently dressed, the person is subjected to some type of stereotype. In an interview with an OU college student, Michael Cromwell tells us of his experience at the airport and how his initial thoughts were that he was being stereotyped, instead of thinking it may have just been a routine random check. This notion came from the unfortunate events on September 11, 2001.
We also talked to a professor at the University of Oklahoma who teaches a class called Race, Ethics and Media. Professor Ramon Chavez explains to us that everybody stereotypes, but only because they do not take the time to rationally think about the individual instead of judging them
based off of their appearance. He admits to some of his own typecasts, and says that it is just human nature. When it becomes wrong is when those people act based upon there views of that individual.
While walking around the campus, we stopped a few students, all different ethnicities, to ask questions about what they think when they see a certain person. 
We gave them scenarios such as a white male with a long, black trench coat walking alone, a group of black males walking around at night, a few middle eastern males, asians and so on. Some of the stereotypes for the groups were the same. Some were even positive. However, the constant theme in each interview was this — others stereotype because they are ignorant and scared of what they are not familiar with.
