ReThinking Breaking free of stereotype threat with Claude Steele
Jan 24, 2023
Claude Steele, an emeritus psychology professor at Stanford, is a pioneer in understanding stereotype threat and self-affirmation. He discusses how the anxiety of being stereotyped can hinder performance, particularly among marginalized groups. Steele shares insights from his research on how this threat affects cognitive functions, especially in high-pressure situations like math tests. He advocates for genuine self-affirmation as a tool to combat these effects and emphasizes the significance of societal circumstances alongside individual determination in achieving success.
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The Puzzle of Underperformance
- At the University of Michigan, Black students underperformed relative to their SAT scores.
- This observation, a puzzle for Claude Steele, sparked his research on stereotype threat.
Women and Math Test
- In a study, women underperformed on a difficult math test compared to equally skilled men.
- However, when the stereotype about women's math ability was removed, their scores matched the men's.
The Psychology of Stereotype Threat
- Stereotype threat disrupts cognitive processing, impacting working memory and executive function.
- It shifts attention from the task to worrying about performance.