Investigation of the effect of stereotypes on interpersonal communication in the context of prejudices: The case of gümüşhane university

Since the first periods of humanity's existence, the efforts of people to live together have brought about the necessity of communicating with each other. These obligatory forms of communication maintain their continuity with the same necessity, even more so, even if they are directed in different directions over time. Especially in the 21st century, which is characterized as the information age, the necessity of communication is the concept that is more emphasized in terms of both competition race and information exchange in every field. In other words, it would not be wrong to call "communication" the greatest tool of this century. The fact that communication is such an important and valued concept reveals the importance of studies on this concept. In a sense, studies are also carried out for the continuous improvement of communication. At the same time, communication is given importance in the daily life we take part in the communication and especially interpersonal communication process. However, in some cases, the interpersonal communication process that we use to improve our relationships is destroyed consciously or unconsciously by being exposed to some negative factors. The parties interacting in the process of interpersonal communication are under the influence of stereotypes and prejudices against those who are different from them. Negative attitudes and behaviors towards others cause misunderstandings and turn into obstacles to effective communication. These obstacles make it difficult for individuals to communicate with each other and negatively affect the communication process. In this context, the subject of the study is how stereotypes affect prejudices, which is one of the reasons that prevent interpersonal communication, and how these effects affect interpersonal communication. Individuals, consciously or unconsciously, display prejudices and stereotyped attitudes towards the other person while communicating. It is useful to know what the stereotypes in our society are and how they affect the interpersonal communication process. The first step in a positive change in the interpersonal communication process is the awareness of individuals' prejudiced and stereotyped attitudes. In order to bring this awareness to individuals, it is necessary to provide education for interpersonal communication in both individual and social contexts. The aim of this study is to examine the concept of prejudice, which is one of the barriers to interpersonal communication, within the concept of stereotype, which is one of the factors that creates or affects it. In the method of the study, semi-structured interview technique was used. The sample of the study consists of 25 randomly selected students from different geographies (Black Sea, Aegean, East, Marmara etc.) among male and female students studying at Gümüşhane University. In this study, it is aimed to reveal information that will provide a more conscious relationship and interaction in the interpersonal communication process. The findings to be obtained from this study are important in terms of shedding light on future studies.