As discussed in previous modules, intercultural researchers often take a taxonomic approach, focusing on common cultural characteristics. Classifying people into cultural groups and mapping cultural clusters provides useful insights into cultural behavior. This classification helps us cope with unfamiliar situations and reduces the threat of the unknown, making generalizations a necessary tool for understanding and predicting behavior in different settings.

People find security in forming simplistic ideas about other cultures. However, this framework of bipolar cultural dimensions has its limitations, as it can oversimplify, overgeneralize and even stereotype cultures. Stereotyping refers to the rigid application of generalizations to each individual in a group, which can lead to inaccurate and unfair assumptions. Stereotypes are not made up out of the blue but have been developed over time about a group of people.

Stereotyping can be harmful in intercultural contexts for several reasons. It can reinforce false beliefs, leading to prejudice and discrimination. Consistent use of stereotypes can lead us to apply these assumptions to all members of a group, ignoring individual differences. The core idea of stereotyping is that everyone in a group is the same. In addition, strong stereotypes can create "self-fulfilling prophecies", where those who are stereotyped begin to act in ways that confirm the stereotype.

In conclusion, categorizing groups and learning about cultural dimensions can be helpful if we recognize the limitations. Societies are not culturally homogeneous, and individuals within a society can differ significantly in their cultural behavior. Therefore, this approach is more useful for comparing cultures than for explaining the diversity of behavior within a single culture.