What is the difference between preconceived notions and stereotypes and prejudice ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.

stereotype - an idea you have about a specific group of people, that is very simple, general, and not true in all cases. These can be positive or negative.

Examples: Many Americans think of Chinese and other East Asians as very smart. Americans might also think people from Ireland drink a lot of alcohol, or that people from the Middle East are very religious.

prejudice - comes from pre + judgment, this is when you make judgments about someone before you know them well, especially if it's because of their race or gender. Usually used in a very negative way.

Example: If an American assumes a Mexican person can't speak English well, that's prejudice.

If an American boss won't hire an employee just because they are Chinese, that's prejudice. (As well as racism, which is illegal in the workplace.)

Preconceived notions is a more formal term to describe all the thoughts you have before you knows the facts of a situation. It includes things like stereotypes and prejudice, but can refer to anything.

Examples: Someone might have a preconceived notion of what their first job will be. We might have a preconceived notion of what a celebrity is like.