'If you've seen one oak tree, you've seen them all'

Xenophobia is also manifested in the fear of losing one's national, ethnic, or racial identity. Xenophobic and racist beliefs mainly result from an objective perspective, due to their incongruence with reality. The basis for xenophobic reasoning is mainly cognitive limitations and biased background information as well as inference biases.

Unfortunately, in the 21st century, we are still faced with xenophobic and racist beliefs and attitudes. Xenophobic beliefs are formed by stereotyping, meaning that assumptions about individuals are drawn on the basis of the image of the social group or category of which the individual is a part. Thus, it seems inevitable to add that knowledge matters a great deal in this issue. Practical knowledge derived from social encounters with individuals from other social groups and categories may lead to an increased awareness that other social groups and categories are at least as heterogeneous as one's own, that is, that 'they' are not all the same. What can be done to tackle stereotypes and prejudices? Increased interaction with people from out-groups will also, sooner or later, lead to a falsification of the negative prejudices bound up with the stereotypes.

References:

Rydgren, J., 2004. The logic of xenophobia. Rationality and society, 16(2), pp.123-148.