Abstract: Communication is a tool for humans to exchange information, which establishes and maintains mutual relationship and social behavior. A stereotype can be defined as “a cognitive structure that contains the perceiver’s knowledge, beliefs, and expectations about a human group”. In recent years, researchers have explored various effects of communication on stereotype maintenance, stereotype transformation and stereotype inhibition. Results of these studies showed that 1) ingroup communication maintained stereotypes or led to a polarization of stereotypes with strategic choice of information and biased language; 2) intergroup communication, especially the vicarious intergroup communication, may constitute a possible approach to stereotype inhibition. Identification of these impacts would help to further understand the intergroup communication.

Key words: stereotypes, communication, ingroup, outgroup