Am experiencing cognitive dissonance, out of curiosity how can stereotypes be neutral?

According to the Cambridge dictionary , stereotype is

A set idea that people have about what someone or something is like, especially an idea that is wrong

or

to have a set idea about what a particular type of person is like, especially an idea that is wrong

or

An idea that is used to describe a particular type of person or thing, or a person or thing thought to represent such an idea.

How can a set idea be neutral when neutrality is fundamentally having no opinion?

In terms of the effect they have on the individual on whom they're being imposed, racial/cultural stereotypes are never neutral.

What do we mean by 'neutral' in this context? I interpret it to mean not contributing to harm - basically, inoffensive.
Ok, so what is a stereotype? By definition, it's something that lacks nuance and depth. A stereotype is an assumption that is generally based on surface-level observation. It's often a belief that applies to an entire group or class of people - and it can be true to some degree, but it will always lack nuance.

• For example - you may have a stereotyped idea of a lawyer. This could be a negative stereotype - in that the associated qualities are ones that you dislike. In the lawyer example, this could be the quality of ruthlessness. Or it could be a positive stereotype - associated with qualities that you admire, like that of having a strong work ethic.

A stereotype we have about someone within a group might prove to be true - but it will never sum them up as an individual. Someone who is a lawyer may well have the qualities of being ruthless & hardworking. But, likely, there's also a lot more to them than that.

I suppose a neutral stereotype could be one associated with qualities that you don't have an opinion on. But even if we don't feel personally involved with the judgement associated with a stereotype, it can still be there. I think [neutrality in any context is tricky] (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02476/full). A lot is going on in our brains & our unconscious minds that we are unaware of.

• Stereotypes can manifest in [implicit bias] (https://perception.org/research/implicit-bias/) - which is the automatic, unthinking categorisation of a person, potentially resulting in unthinking discrimination. Patterns of thought/behaviour [labelled in psychology as 'schemas'] (https://www.thoughtco.com/schema-definition-4691768) are cognitive frameworks that help us to process & organise information. They're helpful because they allow us to filter the masses of information available to us every day. However, they mean that we tend to focus only on the things that confirm our pre-existing beliefs and ideas. We might believe that an assumption/stereotype we have is neutral - but this could just be because it is so ingrained into our cognitive framework.

In terms of the individuals on whom stereotypes are imposed - even seemingly positive ones can be weighty. Because they are generalisations, they might hold the person/group being stereotyped to [an unrealistically high standard.] (https://depts.washington.edu/sibl/negative-effects-of-positive-stereotypes/)

• Two examples of supposedly positive stereotypes are that Asians are all good at maths or that gay men are all fashionable. People on whom these stereotypes are imposed could feel pressure to comply with them; they could partly relate but also feel restricted by them; they could even protect their vulnerabilities by role-playing as them. None of these things is ideal.

Whether you think complying with a stereotype will get you positive or negative reactions from others, you won't feel empowered:

• Studies have shown that when an individual is reminded of a supposedly positive stereotype about them, [they end up doing worse at whatever the stereotype calls of them] (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-9280.00277).
• With negative stereotypes, this is even worse. It can result in anxiety which affects cognitive performance and ability, creating a vicious circle of stereotype-enforcement and confirmation bias. Neuroscientists have even measured the effects of what is termed ['stereotype threat'] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotype_threat) in the brain and found that it inhibits the regions responsible for task performance.

Lol I remember being picked for a basketball team when I'd never even been on a court before! I didn't find it offensive, just hilarious. The joke was on all of us when I was by far the worst player on the team. I'm sure I got stereotyped but it was all a laugh and so I would say that was neutral or even positive haha.