This essay based on wide background information. The writer of this essay tries to show the Hungarian stereotypes through theoretical view, statistical facts and mainly his own thoughts.

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Name: Kornél Krámer

Course: BABL

Year: III.

Module: Business Communication

Module leader: Ildikó Polyák

Date: Monday, 20th January 2003

Hungarian Stereotypes


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Introduction

This essay based on wide background information. The writer of this essay tries to show the Hungarian stereotypes through theoretical view, statistical facts and mainly his own thoughts. It must be mentioned that the writer is a Hungarian person, so the ideas are more original and the essay shows the inner information about Hungarian society. The essay starts with a theoretical approach of stereotypes, then it continues with an introduction to Hungarian stereotypes. This part of the essay contains findings and analyses of certain questionnaires. Interesting things of Hungarian stereotypes in a more experience approach close this part.

Theory of stereotypes

Social psychology just like other modern disciplines rooted in sociological and philosophical customs. From the Enlightenment social psychology inherited two basic dilemmas: 1. universalism versus relativism; 2. action versus cognition. Ad 1.: The Enlightenment’s philosophy says, that every man is a personality and the member of the society, and universal and rational laws control their behaviour. The social differences among the groups are accidental. All people have a “common world”, which causes the people to make grounded moral decisions. Ad 2.: After the Enlightenment, thinking is before action, and the Cartesian subject is defined as “cogito”.

These principles of the Enlightenment were queried by the biggest philosophers of the era, and the “Anti-Enlightenment” movement of the 19th century directly brought it into question. One of the biggest characters of social psychology, Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote this in his cogitation about the Polish government: “The Polish customs … have always the advantage that they evermore increase patriotism in every Pole, and they never want to be mixed with other foreign cultures.”

The connection between action and thinking is a very disturbing question in social psychology and it has many explanations. In the past, sociology focused on the behaviours and actions of the plebs, but nowadays thinking is more important than action. This is called the cognitive aspect.

Stereotyping is a par excellence cognitive action; an act that is before thinking and argumentation. One of the definitions says: “Stereotypes are only common thoughts about characteristics (exacted features, personal values, etc.), which are perceived by the members of a society” (Manstead, Hewstone, 1995). The most important thing here is that the people consider stereotypes true and they make cognitive actions, but these actions only prevent the maturation of the truth and meaning. Rousseau and Tajfel say that the function of stereotypes is mark boundaries among social groups, and increase the positive social identity. That means that people who are stereotyping have a negative feeling against foreigners. This type of thinking is very negative and discriminating. Genuine stereotyping should be very positive too. Those people who are stereotyping should make positive stereotypes too.

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About Hungarians

Hungarians about Hungarians

On the basis of the findings of a questionnaire which included almost 2,800 persons from the adult population of Hungarian nationality in eight Central European countries, the makers of the questionnaire concluded that the Central European Hungarians living outside Hungary, mainly in countries with a larger Hungarian population, have a domineering Hungarian identity while a double, or a multiple identity is less typical. This statement concerns only their national identity, and not their loyalty to the state, which they happen to be citizens of. The national identification of Central European Hungarians is basically of a non-ethnic nature: it ...

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