Why Do Women Underperform Under Stereotype Threat?: Evidence for the Role of Negative Thinking

✍ Scribed by Cadinu, M.; Maass, A.; Rosabianca, A.; Kiesner, J.

• Book ID: 121412355
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 136 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0956-7976
• DOI: 10.1111/j.0956-7976.2005.01577.x

✦ Synopsis

This study investigated the role of negative thinking as a potential mediator of performance deficits under stereotype threat. After being assigned to a stereotype-threat or a no-threat condition, 60 female participants were asked to complete a difficult math task. Using the thought-listing technique, women under stereotype threat reported a higher number of negative thoughts specifically related to the test and to mathematics compared with women in the no-threat condition. Moreover, women under stereotype threat also showed a sharp decrease in performance that (a) was most pronounced in the second half of the test and (b) was mediated by the increase in negative thinking.