Can stereotyping be a positive thing sometimes?

If you see a ‘gang’ coming towards you and assume they will hurt you, and you end up getting home safe because of your stereotyping, I guess that would be a positive.

In the U.S., one of the most widespread examples of this is about “Asians,” usually East Asians and South Asians. That they will be studious and excel in school, “naturally” good in math and science, etc. These stereotypes can hold people back from studying what they want to study and pursuing the kinds of jobs to which they are best suited.

I think it can go either way.

A good looking latino or latina is oftened stereotyped as being a latin lover. Seems many people are in love with the idea of having one for a lover but associate passionate in bed with being hot headed every other time. So lover is ok, but marriage is another matter or even working with a latino is considered risky. Often this passion is associated with also being passionately angry and unreasonable and emotional.
On the other hand, being passionate can be considered a plus in certain fields. Politics, defense attorney, or being a doctor or a salesman.

So when they don’t succeed, you don’t think people will say “But you’re (blank), you were supposed to win.”

Or something of that sort.

I don’t feel there is anything passive about stereotyping. I really do feel that people who are aware of the stereotypes placed upon themselves will tend to exhibit behaviors that verify these. The damsel in distress, the dumb blond, the helpless female, the uncompassionate alpha male, the tough guy, etc are all examples of stereotypes manifesting themselves into common personality traits.