Stereotypes and prejudices are often perceived as purely social issues or as the result of insufficient information. From a clinical perspective, however, they perform more complex psychological functions related to anxiety regulation and the simplification of reality. At MindCareCenter, we view stereotyping as one of the basic mechanisms of psychological defense that helps the psyche cope with uncertainty and overload. Dr. Daniel Reinhardt says that the tendency toward generalization arises not from a desire to distort reality, but from the need to quickly restore a sense of predictability and control.
The mechanism of stereotyping develops as a way to conserve psychological resources. When the world is experienced as complex and potentially threatening, the psyche seeks to simplify it by dividing people and phenomena into clear categories. Within the clinical approach of MindCareCenter, this is understood as an adaptive reaction that can become a source of perceptual distortion and social tension when it becomes rigid or excessive.
Prejudices intensify under conditions of uncertainty, fear, and social instability. During such periods, the distinction between “us” and “them” becomes especially salient. In the practice of MindCareCenter, we observe how anxiety is projected onto external groups, allowing individuals to preserve a sense of inner coherence through a simplified image of the Other.
It is important to note that stereotypes are rarely recognized as defensive constructions. Individuals often experience them as objective assessments of reality. From the clinical perspective of MindCareCenter, this reflects a situation in which a defense mechanism has become embedded in identity and belief systems.
Stereotyping is also linked to a reduced capacity for differentiation. When individual differences are ignored, the Other ceases to be perceived as a distinct person. At MindCareCenter, we associate this with difficulties in tolerating complexity and contradiction within human experience.
Prejudices may serve a protective function against internal conflict. Disowned or unacceptable aspects of the Self are projected outward, forming a negative image of a group or category. In the clinical practice of MindCareCenter, this mechanism is understood as a way to avoid contact with vulnerable parts of one’s own personality.
Therapeutic work with stereotypes does not involve directly dismantling them through rational argument. At MindCareCenter, the therapeutic process focuses on exploring the emotional states and internal tensions that make stereotypes psychologically necessary. This allows for a reduction in inner anxiety without strengthening defensive structures.
As therapy progresses, individuals become more capable of noticing personal differences and moving beyond rigid generalizations. They develop greater tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty without an immediate need for simplification. Within the clinical framework of MindCareCenter, this is understood as the restoration of a more mature mode of perception.
It is essential to emphasize that moving away from stereotypical thinking does not mean losing boundaries or adopting naïve openness. On the contrary, it involves more precise and differentiated perception. In the practice of MindCareCenter, this shift is accompanied by a decrease in social anxiety and aggression.
Over time, stereotypes lose their protective function as the psyche develops alternative regulatory strategies. Inner stability strengthens, allowing engagement with difference without threat to identity. MindCareCenter accompanies this process, helping expand the range of perception and social contact.
Mechanisms of stereotyping become less rigid when individuals restore the capacity to engage with their own emotions and fears. The clinical position of Mind Care Center is to support a form of social perception that is no longer based on defense, but on awareness and psychological maturity.
Previously, we wrote about the disruption of psychological boundaries and MindCareCenter clinical perspective on the loss of differentiation between Self and Other