Stereotype Threat

April 20th, 2014

It was interesting to listen to some of the lectures on the stereotype threat. The stereotype threat points to the experience of anxiety in a situation where a person might have the potential to confirm negative stereotypes about his or her social group. The example that I heard mentioned a few times was the African-American vs. white groups' comparative performance for a standardized test such as the SAT.

This problem resonated with me very much, of course not only with ethnicity or male vs. female perspective; but also from a income view. In our modern society where ethnic boundaries becoming more blurred and social groups become more homogenous, I believe a huge stereotype threat that exists that is getting more pronounced in our society as a whole is the limitation of academic potential that arises from the divide in wealth.

Current net worth should not really impact academic competence. But, in a world where ivy league universities tuition costs an arm and a leg with a lifetime student loan needed to graduate, and require strong referrals from influential people around the student as an entrance requirement; it is undeniable that some less privileged learners may fall into the trap of not feeling they are adequate for that level of education, or not partake in challenging themselves to get to that level in the first place.

Alternatively, the divide in wealth is also a divide in social group between the 'elite' and 'underprivileged'. Whether it be directly mentioned or not, there is a sociaal line between the two, making the leap between the two ever more difficult.

If someone around me if feeling the stereotype threat, the best way to deal with it is to give them real information and feedback on how they are doing. Encourage and praise and recognize the good. If there is bad, provide transparent and constructive feedback so they can grow to be better. Taking a pragmatic, positive position is the best path to take.

At all times, I would respect the individual's privacy and avoid diving directly into the stereotype itself - since the indiviudal's sensitivities towards the stereotype will differ from my perpsective, the best thing would be for that person to self-reflect on whether they really fit into that stereotypical category or not, based on pragmatic feedback provided from trustworthy peers.