PS270 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Fundamental Attribution Error, Stereotype Threat
Document Summary
Stereotype threat: studies have shown that people who have been discriminated against in the past are very sensitive to the stereotypes of their group. As a result, members of a minority group are especially worried about: being evaluated with these stereotypes in mind, that their behaviour might confirm the stereotype. The women who were told there were no gender differences on the test did much better (compared to the women in the former condition) and scored almost equally with the men. The researchers suggested that because of the negative stereotypes concerning social class, people from relatively lower socioeconomic backgrounds would experience apprehension about confirming their negative reputation as intellectually inferior (stereotype threat), and this worry would impair their performance. The findings of the study clearly supported these predictions. Experiments such as these illustrate one of the many negative effects stereotypes and prejudice can have on their victims.
