Biases and stereotypes
How does the “Scene to story-concept” work
the video below contains excerpts of movie/series scenes.
It will automatically stop at specific times and redirect you to the section of the post dedicated to that particular scene.
What for?
Ever wondered how movie characters can be so relatable, complex, and captivating all at the same time?
The goal here is to analyse exactly that- one scene at a time.
In Zootopia (Walt Disney Animation studios 2016),
the main character Judy Hopps fights the stereotype of bunnies being viewed as weak animals, not suited for taking on dangerous jobs like being a police officer.
Throughout the film she faces new challenges but never gives up on her dreams; despite being doubted in so many different ways.
Role asignement bias: when you're told who to be
On Judy's first day as a police officer, she's immediately dismissed by Chief Bongo, a water buffalo, who relegates her to the role of a meter maid.
This moment sets the stage for the challenges she faces, as her small size and bunny species are easily overlooked, and her true potential is overshadowed by something called "role bias".
In the real world, role bias often manifests in ways we don't even realize:
For example, women are frequently underestimated and less likely to be suspected of certain crimes. A study from the Journal of Criminal Justice (2016) found that women were notably underrepresented as suspects in crimes like robbery and assault, and were often viewed as less threatening in criminal investigations.
This example shows how dangerous underestimation and pigeonholing can be.
🌟Overcoming role bias:
Rather than sulking over her seemingly insignificant assignment, Judy takes a different route-she decides to master it. Her mission? To collect 200 parking tickets before noon.
And she doesn't just meet the challenge-she exceeds it.
It's a great and motivating approach for treating underestimation
When confronted with role bias, the best way to respond is not with frustration but with action.
Demonstrate your true abilities through results.
➡️ Moving forward with passion, leaving behind the doubters, is both empowering and humble.
It's about focusing on your dreams and proving your worth through your actions, along the way.
Stereotype Threat: the battle between who they think you are and who you really are
In this scene from Zootopia, when Judy confronts Nick with "no one tells me what I can or can't be," she's doing something a lot of us can relate to
- refusing to play along to the labels people try to stick on us.
As already mentioned Judy, a small bunny, doesn't like the idea of being the "cute, helpless" character that everyone expects her to be, just like Nick, a fox, rejects the idea that he's only a sly, untrustworthy creature.
Think about it-how many times have we been told we can't do something because of how we look or where we come from?
When Nick comes into the game, throuhgout the movie he has his own transformation:
He's learned to use his fox reputation to get by, but Judy's challenge is a reminder as she pushes the limits of what people expect from us. "Sly fox- dumb bunny"
➡️It's all about proving your worth with actions, not by fitting into someone else's idea of who you should be.
Especially the 3rd scene tells us a lot about Judy as a character.
It becomes clear that she is very empathetic, humble and doesn’t even think about making an attempt to let the past be and solve the case on her own- without a partner.
More on that here
3rd scene - Judy’s character development
There’s many different turns a character can take throughout a movie. In especially challenging moments, their real intentions and character shines through the most - just like in real life.
They’re composed with a decision.
In this case:
“Will Judy apologise to Nick?”
“If yes: will she admit her former mistakes or will she be mad, disappointed, annoyed or even embarrassed ?”
Turns out she doesn’t show either of these emotions:
Instead of
❌ putting blame on Nick
She…
✅ apologises truthfully & is clearly fed up
Done playing the victim or defending herself, Judy is ready to evolve, owning her faults, and moving forward.
Finally freeing herself from the analogy of predators being dangerous and prey being weak.
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