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The items stereotyped were predominantly positive. ‘Untrustworthy’
was an exception, but opinion was divided, 32 per cent supporting
’trustworthy’, 30.7 per cent opting for the mid-point, and 36.6 per
cent supporting 'untrustworthy’.
There was greater agreement between the characteristics
stereotyped as best describing Italians, and the rank ordering of
stereotypes, than was the case with Australians and Aborigines.
The evidence suggests that the stereotyping of minority
groups by the study population cannot' be seen as uniform. Stereo-
*
typing of Aborigines was negative. Stereotyping of Italians was
predominantly positive,
20.73 Conclusions
There was a negative view of Aborigines by non-Aborigines .
There was a predominantly positive view of Italians by non-
Aborigines.
The negative stereotyping of Aborigines cannot be explained
on the grounds that all minority groups are stereotyped
negatively by mainstream society.
The conclusion may be drawn that the symbolic world of main-
stream society inhabited by urban Aborigines is one where Aborigines
are perceived by a large proportion of non-Aborigines as having
negative characteristics.
The question now asked is whether there is any institutionalization
of typifications, whether Aborigines have internalized the typifications
of mainstream society, and the social construct has proved to have
a ‘realizing potency’.