Stereotypes

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Distinguish verifiable visual evidence from assumptions and stereotypes when observing unfamiliar people.

Use it when: Use during diversity, equity, or bias awareness sessions when a group needs to examine how quickly assumptions arise from appearance alone.

Skip it when: Skip if the group lacks basic conversational safety, if interpersonal tensions are high, or if someone in the room is targeted by the image profiles.

Group arrangement: Seated circle with individual viewing and passing, followed by facilitated plenary reflection.

Timing: Source recommends 30 to 40 minutes; calibrated to 35 minutes.

Materials and tools

• Numbered diverse portrait photographs cut from magazines or printed (one per participant plus 2 spares, showing varied age, gender, ethnicity, clothing, and settings)
• One observation log sheet or blank notebook per participant
• One pen or pencil per participant
• One interval timer or stopwatch for the facilitator

Before participants arrive

1. Arrange chairs in a single circle with no tables blocking the passing of items.
2. Number each photograph clearly on the back (for example, Image 1 through Image 20).
3. Distribute one observation log sheet and one pen to each chair.

Say this to open

We are going to look at photographs of unfamiliar people. You will see several images for sixty seconds each. On your sheet, note your immediate perceptions: what do you notice first, and what initial thoughts come up about who they are? This exercise is about noticing our own thought patterns without judgment. You will never be forced to read private notes aloud.

How to run it

1. Frame the inquiry 3 minutes

   Deliver the opening script. Explain the distinction between objective observation (what is visibly provable in the frame) and assumption (inferences about personality, profession, or character). Announce that participants will hand photographs clockwise every 60 seconds.

2. Rotate and observe 10 minutes

   Hand one photograph facedown to each person. Start the timer. Every 60 seconds, call switch. Participants pass their current photo clockwise and record notes for the next one until they have reviewed eight to ten photos. Signal the end of the viewing phase.

3. Examine selected images 12 minutes

   Select three or four contrasting photographs from the set. Hold each up or display it. Invite two or three volunteers per photo to share what they noticed and assumed. Ask the group: What visible details led to that assumption? Which parts are confirmed fact, and which are guesses?

4. Reflect on pattern and impact 10 minutes

   Lead a plenary debrief using the prepared questions. Ask participants to write one private takeaway on the back of their sheet regarding how they will check quick assumptions in everyday interactions. Conclude on time.

Debrief questions

• Which aspects of your notes were verifiable facts versus assumptions based on appearance?
• What visual cues (such as clothing, setting, or expression) triggered the fastest guesses?
• How can you check your own assumptions before acting on them in daily work?

Finished output: Completed individual observation sheets comparing visible evidence to assumptions, with a private written commitment to challenge personal bias.

Remote

Display numbered photographs one at a time on shared slides for 60 seconds each. Participants log their notes privately on paper or a digital sheet. Facilitator pastes 3 selected photos onto a shared board (such as Miro) and invites participants to post sticky notes under two columns: Visible Facts vs. Inferences.

Hybrid

Provide remote participants with a digital slide deck containing identical numbered images while in-person participants use physical photos. During step 3, display the selected photos on the shared screen so both cohorts examine the exact same image simultaneously. Take turns calling on one in-person participant and one remote participant.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may write in bullet points, single words, or pass entirely on sharing their written notes aloud.
• Provide large-print photographs or high-contrast screen displays for participants with low vision.
• Anyone uncomfortable viewing specific imagery may place the photo facedown until the next rotation without penalty.

If the session gets stuck

A participant makes an offensive or derogatory remark during the sharing phase.

Intervene immediately and neutrally: Pause the speaker, re-center on the image, and ask: Is that a verifiable visual fact or an assumption? Remind the room that the goal is identifying bias, not validating it.

Participants struggle to distinguish facts from assumptions.

Provide a concrete neutral example: 'He is wearing a blue jacket' is a verifiable fact; 'He works in construction' or 'He is confident' is an inference.

Terms used here

• Objective evidence: Directly observable, verifiable details present in the photograph with no interpretation added.
• Assumption: A belief, inference, or story formed about a person without direct supporting proof.