Abstract

Surprisingly research scientists scholars or lay people in the United States or elsewhere tend to see stereotypes as negative and inaccurate Because stereotypes are regarded as taboos we are usually told not to use them at all Further little research has been done on the relationship between stereotyping and totemic thinking However in order to survive and function well through millions of years our ancestors and modern human beings unconsciously and consciously use stereotypes and totems almost every second of the day which is consistent with Darwin s evolutionary science This article addresses three aspects of the categorical necessity and utility of stereotypes and totems First I will address what totemic thinking is and how totems are related to stereotypes theoretically through evolution Second I will analyze and review Jussim s 2012 book on social perception and social reality which tells us how modern social psychology fails to acknowledge the overwhelming evidence of stereotype accuracy research Finally I will critically examine a recent scientific article about gender stereotypes and female hurricanes by Jung Shavitt Viswanathan and Hilbe 2014 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences PNAS of the United States of America In brief to function well or even survive human beings have to count on categorical thinking including stereotypes and totems evolutionarily