Stereotype Threat

Distancing from Stereotyped Groups

1. Distancing is when someone observes another group member who might confirm a group stereotype and the observer flees from that area because they might be stereotype threatened. Distancing produces lowered self-esteem (both physically and psychologically) and greater distancing from their own group (Ex. Same race, same height, same religion, same gender, same class) members who might confirm a stereotype that applies to the self through shared group membership. 2. Stereotype threat can also affect the degree that people enjoy and identify with activities associated with their social group. (The ST where someone questions their own group because they feel threatened whether if they actually like them and identify with them.)

What is stereotype threat?

1. Stereotype threat is a situational predicament (difficult/unpleasant situation) in which people are or feel themselves to be at risk of confirming negative stereotypes about their social group. 2. Stereotype threat refers to being at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about one's group

Disengagement

Disengagement occurs when stereotype threat leads individuals to distance themselves from a (see as threatening) space/professional field suggesting that performance in that field is not related to self-worth. When people disengage, they doubt themselves and their self-beliefs become disconnected from their performance in that area. Mild forms of disengagement happens when individuals expect to complete a task under stereotype threat.

Ironic Effects

Stereotype threat can cause behavioral consequences that contradicts what someone has previously claimed. (Ex. Whites performance on an implicit measure of racial associations was worse (indicating stronger race-based beliefs) when whites were told that the test assessed racial bias (raising the specter of confirming White racism). Whites who thought they were to discuss a racially-sensitive topic with Black students, Whites chose to sit further away from their interaction [black] partners.)

Altered Professions/ Professional Identities and Changed Dreams (by stereotype threat (people's opinions about others that they can't do anything, not changed dreams by themselves as the achiever.)

Stereotype threat can change student's dreams and professional identities by redirecting their aspirations and career paths. sense of belonging reduced by perceptions of a stereotypical environment leading to Failure.

Reactance

Stereotype threat can produce the opposite effects, actually increasing quality of performance to success, in some circumstances. (Instead of negative stereotypes to hurt, there are some positive stereotypes to help). If the ST is in favor of someone, increase in performance. If the ST is against someone, decrease in performance. (Expected outcome/consequence after a stereotype threat). A direct relationship.

Disidentification

disengagement can produce "disidentification" if an someone copes with long-term threat by avoiding the area space or detaching their identity from an area (Ex. Math, sports clubs, hobbies, field of profession). Unidentified individuals keep their self-esteem in the face of adversity and tend not to value their achievement in the field space. They do not incorporate the field space in their identity. Long-term stereotype threat can produce disidentification as a way to handle fears of failure or embarrassment/discomfort.

Internal Attributions for Failure. Internal (self, inside) attributions (regard/think of something as being caused by someone or something.

Individuals often try to identify what factors are responsible when they fail to achieve. In doing so, factors pertaining to the individual (internal factors) or factors related to the situation (external factors) can be invoked. (Ex. women under stereotype threat were more likely than men to attribute their failure on a computer task to internal characteristics. To the degree that failure in a domain is explained by internal rather than external factors, stereotypes are reinforced. )

Self-handicapping

Self-handicapping is an excuse to give up and not achieve what you actually can. People hurt themselves to provide attributions for failure. If barriers indeed undermine (damage/weaken) performance, individuals can point to the barriers rather than deficiencies in ability or effort. These results show that individuals under stereotype threat might reduce preparation, exhibit less effort, or invoke factors to create attributional ambiguity (amb. a lack of decisiveness or commitment resulting from a failure to make a choice between alternatives.) for potential failure. To the degree that individuals engage in self-handicapping leading to actual performance can suffer by decreasing actual performance without stereotype threat.

Decreased Performance

Stereotype threat decreases performance on any task that involves groups and fields of diversity. Stereotype threat reduces achievement on tests in situations where the stereotypes are relevant. (Ex. Academic environments, test performances, men vs. women in: math, driving, sports, professional fields. Homosexual men in childcare, old people and their memories, and Asians in math.)

What can stereotype threat do?

Stereotype threat produces numerous consequences, most of which are negative in nature. Stereotype threat can harm performance on any task where a stereotype is mentioned/announced suggesting that members of some groups will perform more poorly than others.

Task Discounting (TD)

TD makes people not want to even try to achieve something. (Ex. take a test for performance). TD weakens motivation and leads a person to devalue the field of practice they see it as the right thing to do.

Ambiguity

a lack of decisiveness or commitment resulting from a failure to make a choice between alternatives.

What does invoke mean?

cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument

Augment

to make (something) greater by adding to it; increase