Stereotype Threat

According to The Glossary of Education Reform, “Stereotype threat refers to the risk of confirming negative stereotypes about an individual’s racial, ethnic, gender, or cultural group” (2013). Stereotype threats normally attack categories of race and gender. The main individuals who are attacked are minorities (African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Latino/a individuals, etc.), women, Christians, Muslims, elderly people, fat people, thin people, disabled people, people with disorders such as Down Syndrome, and much more. There was a study conducted by Claude Steele and Joshua Aronson, in which they “performed experiments that showed that black college students performed worse on standardized tests than their white peers when they were reminded, before taking the tests, that their racial group tends to do poorly on such exams. When their race was not emphasized, however, black students performed similarly to their white peers” (The Glossary of Education Reform, 2013). Stereotypes can affect an individual’s level of productivity. It causes feelings of self-doubt, worthlessness, insecurity, stupidity, and disgust. There were other studies completed that experimented the effects of stereotypes on test results of students. After the teacher reminded the students of the purpose for the test (e.g., the teacher told a set of students it was a vision test and told another set of students it was a test of intelligence), the test results were affected. There was a drastic change between those told one thing and those told another thing. Stereotype threats are detrimental mentally, physically, and emotionally. They affect a person’s character and actions.

Partnership, Great Schools. “Stereotype Threat Definition.” The Glossary of Education Reform, 30 Aug. 2013, www.edglossary.org/stereotype-threat/.