Beelden van nationaal karakter. Fransen, Engelsen en Duitsers

Samenvatting

Images of National Character: The French, the English, and the Germans. National stereotypes of the French, German and English are explored on the basis of open-ended questionnaire surveys (not described). The findings suggest that the attribution of national characteristics is based on tradition, rather than fact. The French are stereotyped as nationalistic, arrogant, and refined; the British as reserved, withdrawn, and inhibited; and the Germans as orderly, bureaucratic, and disciplined. If media reports do not contradict the stereotypes these images probably will persist. Moralizing to rationalize emotions, psychologizing as explanation, and classification through cognitive ordering are three main functions that stereotyped images hold for people. 48 References. J. Sadler