Stereotypes about Russia and Russians. A bear with a balalaika. Russian nesting doll

Generalized representations are typical for our perception of the world around us. During our life we absorb and spread a lot of stereotypes about the essence and origin of which we do not even think about. This is largely related to the perception of people of other nationalities and themselves in comparison with them. We will talk about what are the main stereotypes about Russia among representatives of other nations, where they came from and why they are exactly like that.

The concept of stereotypes

We all constantly get into typical, similar situations and we conduct ourselves in them approximately equally. On the basis of this, stereotypes are formed, that is, general group representations about a particular subject, phenomenon, person, ethnos. Many people think that they are original in their manifestations, and they are not controlled by stereotypes, but this is absolutely not the case. Scientists argue that up to two-thirds of our behavior is due to these generalized notions.

A stereotype is a simplified, typical pattern of behavior in a repetitive situation. This model is the result of the experience of a group of people. There are national, professional, family stereotypes. They reproduce us completely unconsciously, and it is often difficult to recognize their leading role in our lives. The peculiarities of stereotypes are their stability, they are not beliefs or views that can be changed, having gained a new experience. These models contain representations of several generations of people, they are fixed in the folklore and speech of the people or group. However, they are still amenable to correction and management, and we will see who and how it does. Stereotypes cover all spheres of our life: life, relationships between people and various groups, attitude to things, work, to oneself. Therefore, stereotypes about Russia, which bear foreign citizens, is a multilevel view of the conditions of existence, national character, organization of life in our country. But at the same time stereotypes are always just a scheme, a simplified view of the phenomenon. They are often associated with certain symbols, so it's easier to remember and reproduce them.

Functions of stereotypes

In the human psyche, nothing is accidental or impractical. Stereotypes perform a number of functions, and they are absolutely necessary for us. The origin of this phenomenon is associated with the desire of the body to save resources. Our thinking is a high-cost process, so the psyche develops ways to save resources. Stereotypes allow you to run behavioral programs in typical situations without connecting analysis and thinking. We do not need to think every time about which category to include this or that phenomenon. We already have a ready answer and a plan of action. Therefore, stereotypes about Russia are just a model of the notion of people of other nations about us. In this case, the stereotype, like any model, simplifies and schematizes the phenomenon.

Also, stereotypes perform such functions as socialization and integration into a group. It is necessary to share common ideas, so that the social community takes a person for "one's own". Stereotypes fulfill the social function of intergroup division, help people to recognize the members of their group and strangers. They are also a kind of group ideology, supporting its values. Stereotypes help to select social information and simplify the course of the cognitive process. This is how stereotypes about Russia in the West work, they help a foreigner quickly understand what the difference between them and us is. Since ancient times, stereotypes are a means of social regulation, they help to unite people, for example, within the state, opposing their representations to the values of foreigners.

Formation of stereotypes

Historically, stereotypes are stable patterns of behavior in repetitive situations. They are formed in human practice, fixed in behavior and memory. Effective models are simplified over time and are easily inherited. So, for example, the stereotype that a woman follows the cleanliness of the house has evolved over the centuries in the everyday life of people and today no one has any thoughts. The quality of women as mistresses is judged by the purity in her house, but no one will apply the same criteria to the man. Ethnic ideas about one's own and other peoples are also formed. Stereotypes about Russians were formed as a result of the centuries-old neighborhood of the inhabitants of Europe. And since the Europeans often sought to conquer Russia, and the local population resisted this, the inhabitants of the country began to endow with various qualities, including negative ones, in order to warn their descendants of the danger allegedly coming from the Russians.

Since the emergence of the mass media, the issue of forming and maintaining ethnic stereotypes has been put on stream. First of all, they had to serve the state ideologies of European countries, and later the United States. It can be seen that stereotypes about Russia in foreign media were filled with negative meanings in times of conflicts between Russia and other states. The media form the "image of the enemy" in order to enlist the support of their people in countering the Russians.

Typical stereotypes of foreigners about Russia

It can be seen that it was in the 20th century that ideas about the Russians in Western ideology were formed as a rough, boozing, hostile nation. To ensure that these stereotypes were plausible, images are supported by original pictures of Russia, as a country with snow, bears, etc. Long since travelers who came to Russia, formed their countrymen's ideas about this country. Since they were very impressed by the cold, the dangers of the Russian character, then, returning to their homeland, they told about it in embellished form. The main stereotypes about Russians are being widely replicated by Western media and mass culture. In them our country appears as a land full of bears, snow, vodka and people with nesting dolls and balalaikas. Also, Westerners are accustomed to consider Russia an unpredictable nation, which is not characterized by smiles and friendliness. Thanks to Russian literature, they speak of a "mysterious Russian soul" that "can not be understood by the mind". Since the majority of Europeans and especially Americans have never been to Russia, they easily trust simplistic ideas, especially since some of them are willingly supported by the Russian people themselves.

Bear

The image of Russia as a country where bears are walking along the streets was formed a long time ago. More historians of the 19th century conducted research on its origins and came to the conclusion that this image has a real background. On the territory of our country there has long existed a cult of a bear, it really was for Russians an embodiment of the spirit. This animal was totem for the inhabitants of our country, the bear has always been the subject of folklore works. With the advent of Orthodoxy, the church supported this stereotype of national identity. Once upon a time at almost every fair there was a tradition of showing the struggle of peasants with bears, as a way to demonstrate their daring. Also these animals performed for fun to the public. So there was a bear with a balalaika, as an image of Russian fun.

For foreigners who came to our country, meeting with the bear was a real shock, so on their return they told with horror the ideas of these "strange Russians". It should be noted that Russians are happy to support this stereotype, many jokes about this topic.

Drunkenness

Many stereotypes about Russia are associated with vodka. Russian really any meal for the reception of foreign guests accompanied by the use of this drink. In addition, visitors could watch noisy fights, songs and dances of drunken peasants in taverns, and, as is usually the case with stereotypes, they spread these impressions to the whole nation. This image was actively supported by Western media during the periods when a negative attitude towards our country was forming. To strengthen the stereotype worked and the fact that the Russians who traveled abroad, often allowed themselves to drink superfluous and their behavior was not controlled.

For Western ideology, the real gift was the behavior of President Boris Yeltsin, who loved to drink. Propaganda, by his example, strengthened existing ideas about Russians as drunkards.

Cold

Russian winter for foreigners, especially those living in warm countries, is an extremely bright impression. Since stereotypes tend to fix and intensify emotions, the experience of sensation of frost becomes a certain symbol of Russia. Residents of warm Europe can more easily imagine our country snow-bound by the vast land, where there is always cold. Snow becomes a key symbol of the state. And people who can live in such conditions are endowed with special characteristics. It simply can not be the same as, for example, the Italians or the Greeks. This stereotype is formed in ancient times, when the first contacts of the inhabitants of Southern Europe with Russia began.

Matryoshka

Despite the fact that the Russian matryoshka is a symbol that is recognized all over the world, this toy was invented not in our country, it came to us from China. But this figure is very organic to the Russian character with its catholicity and collectivism. In addition, it was an ideal souvenir, and in times of mass tourism nesting dolls became the most common gift from Russia. This was greatly facilitated by the Russians themselves, who brought such figures abroad and gave them to visitors. Brightness and unique shape carry an expressive, emotional image that is easily remembered and therefore simply stereotyped.

Balalaika

The inhabitants of Russia had a few of their own musical instruments, and one of them is a balalaika. It arose on the basis of a modification of the Asian good and was widely spread in the 17th century. The instrument is organic to the Russian character: it is simple in mastering, it gives great opportunities for improvisation. In the 18th century, at each fair there was a bear with a balalaika as a way of entertainment for people coming for shopping. Since many of the first foreigners who came to Russia were traders, they made conclusions about the country precisely at the fairs. Hence, many stereotypes arise: drunkenness, unrestrained fun, balalaika and a bear. This stereotype, like the matryoshka doll, has no negative coloring, it is a typical symbol of the country in the eyes of foreigners.

Mysterious Russian soul

Russian literature has done a lot to form ideas about our country. Now let us recall the most famous Russian writers: Pushkin, Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy. They all tried to solve the mystery of the Russian soul without exception. Therefore, the usual stereotypes about Russia were enriched by these ideas. By the way, our nation with great pleasure supports this myth and distributes it. For foreigners, it's easier to write off everything to a strange Russian character than to comprehend our behavior and to seek some explanation for it.