Stereotype Threat

Impact on Ethnic Groups

Stereotype threat appears to negatively impact members of ethnic minority groups when they encounter tests or tasks that focus on cognitive abilities. Research has found this is most likely to occur with members of groups identified as poor, Latino, and African American. Performance tends to shift in the direction of the stereotype, particularly for members of socially stigmatized ethnic groups, when situational cues implicate group identity. For example, when taking a standardized test, students often need to share their identities. For students who are members of socially stigmatized ethnic groups, providing this information impacts their performance on the exam because they believe they are being evaluated based on a stereotype tied to their identities. Researchers have speculated that students from ethnic groups who experience stereotype threat during tests of a diagnostic nature may question their abilities and withdraw from these kinds of situations based on low expectations for success. Additionally, as a result of experiencing stereotype threat, students from ethnic diverse backgrounds are more likely to withdraw from school.

Stereotype threat may have a profound impact on the achievement gap that exists between certain groups of students in various contexts. Stereotypes based on ethnic characteristics can impact students’ grades, test scores, and academic identities. This identity threat can affect a student's sense of academic competence and sense of belonging in the classroom and in higher education.

Reducing Stereotype Threat

Recognizing that stereotype threat does exist and making an effort to reduce it can bring about changes or some improvement to social problems, such as intergroup tensions that impact the relationships among individuals and groups of people. Education about various cultures helps promote cultural knowledge, creativity, and intercultural understanding.

Additionally, educating others and informing them that intelligence and critical abilities are learned and expandable—and are not fixed as once believed and touted—is critical to help reduce stereotype threat and to increase the number of positive experiences members from groups identified as poor, Latino, and African American have when it comes to tasks or exams that focus on cognitive abilities. When members of these groups have positive experiences in any activity, especially testing, the likelihood for them to be concerned that they will be evaluated based on a negative stereotype will decrease.

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