Stereotypes

Question 1

STUDY: steele and aronson (1995)

aim

Answer 1

To demonstrate the existence and self-fulfilling prophecy effect of stereotype threat.

Question 2

STUDY: Steele and Aronson (1995)

method

Answer 2

Method: Participants were split into three groups, each with a different condition. Each condition was a description of the intention of the study:

Diagnostic - to gauge one’s individual differences (deficit finding).
Non-diagnostic - to gauge one’s aptitude only.
Non-diagnostic with challenge, preceded by a ‘this is hard for everyone’ type message.

Question 3

STUDY: Steele and Aronson (1995)

conclusion and link

Answer 3

Results: In the diagnostic test there was a significant difference between the scores of whites and blacks, with the latter doing worse. In the other two conditions there was no significant difference

The exact mechanism underlying differences in achievement between black and white individuals (especially students, and in evaluation scenarios) is yet to be fully understood, but a number of viable possibilities exist. Amongst the most convincing is the notion of stereotype threat.