Certified Medical Assistant Practice Exam

Which of the following statements would be an example of stereotyping ?

1. All elderly patients have difficulty walking

2. Some elderly patients have difficulty walking

3. Most elderly patients have difficulty walking

4. No elderly patients have difficulty walking

The correct answer is: All elderly patients have difficulty walking

Stereotyping involves making generalized assumptions about a particular group of people based on characteristics such as age, race, or gender. The statement "All elderly patients have difficulty walking" embodies this concept by asserting that every individual within the elderly population shares the same experience regarding mobility. This sweeping generalization ignores the diversity and varying abilities within this age group, thereby failing to recognize that many elderly individuals may have no difficulty walking or may even be exceptionally active. In contrast, the other statements convey more nuanced perspectives. For instance, saying that "Some elderly patients have difficulty walking" acknowledges that not everyone in that age group is the same. "Most elderly patients have difficulty walking" suggests a majority experience without claiming that it applies to all, while "No elderly patients have difficulty walking" denies that any elderly individuals could face mobility issues, which still lacks nuance but doesn’t imply the same type of blanket statement as the first option. The correct answer exemplifies stereotypical thinking by generalizing a characteristic to an entire demographic.