Ethnic stereotypes in the modern conditions: theoretical approaches and studies on empirical level

The article is concerned with the peculiarities of the theoretical analysis dealing with the stereotype concept for understanding the results of an empirical research. The author considers problems of division of the prototype and the stereotype and describes the basic mechanisms of prototypes’ and stereotypes’ formation. The main theoretical approaches to the study of stereotypes are analyzed. The features of the stereotype as a basis for studying the concepts in the modern conditions are considered.