Being smart or getting smarter: Implicit theory of intelligence moderates stereotype threat and stereotype lift effects

Abstract

This research explores implicit theory of intelligence (TOI) as a moderator of stereotype activation effects on test performance for members of negatively stereotyped and of favourably stereotyped groups. In Germany, Turkish-origin migrants are stereotyped as low in verbal ability. We predicted that on a test diagnostic of verbal intelligence, endorsement of an entity TOI predicts stereotype threat effects for Turkish-origin students and stereotype lift effects for German students. This effect could account for some of the performance gap between immigrants and host society members after stereotype activation. Study 1 (N = 107) established structural equivalence of implicit theories across the ethnic groups. In two experimental studies (Study 2: N = 182, Study 3: N = 190), we tested the moderating effect of TOI in a 2 (stereotype activation: diagnostic vs. non-diagnostic test) × 2 (ethnicity: German vs. Turkish migration background) experimental design. The results showed that when the test was described as diagnostic of verbal intelligence, higher entity theory endorsement predicted stereotype threat effects for Turkish-origin students (Study 2 and Study 3) and stereotype lift effects for German students (Study 3). The results are discussed in terms of practical implications for educational settings and theoretical implications for processes underlying stereotype activation effects.

The interaction of vertical collectivism and stereotype activation on the performance of Turkish-origin high school students

“…We contribute to the existing research literature on stereotype threat effects for migrants (e.g., Appel et al, 2015;Froehlich, Martiny, Deaux, Goetz, et al, 2016;Martiny et al, 2015) by revealing that vertical collectivism interacts with the activation of negatives stereotypes on performance and individual mobility motivation. Our findings are also relevant to work on the relationship between individual differences in student characteristics and achievement-related outcomes (e.g., Jurik et al, 2014) revealing that migrant students with high vertical collectivism endorsement suffer from stereotype threat effects.…”

“…This effect has also been shown for Turkish-origin students in Germany (Froehlich, Martiny, Deaux, Goetz et al, 2016;Martiny et al, 2015) and thus might contribute to the observed performance differences between German and Turkish-origin students (e.g., Martiny, Götz, & Keller, 2013;Schauenburg, 2011;Schofield, 2006;Strasser, 2012). However, the effect of stereotype threat for Turkish-origin students may depend on individual students' cultural value orientation.…”

“…On the one hand this underperformance is surprising, because research shows that the Turkish culture strongly values achievement motivation (e.g., Phalet & Claeys, 1993;Verkuyten, Thijs, & Canatan 2001), and high achievement motivation and good performance outcomes are expected from Turkish students by their families (Phalet & Claeys, 1993). On the other hand, research has shown that negative stereotypes about Turkish-origin migrants are widespread in Germany and can hinder the performance of this group (Froehlich, Martiny, Deaux, Goetz, & Mok, 2016;Martiny, Mok, Deaux, & Froehlich, 2015). For this reason, in the present work we aim at examining the interplay of cultural values and the activation of negative stereotypes on the performance and coping strategies of Turkish-origin students in German high schools.…”

Stereotype Threat in Sport: Recommendations for Applied Practice and Research

“…This means that whenever people are reminded of a stereotype, a negative stereotype is activated for one group (e.g., female soccer players), but a positive stereotype is activated for another group (e.g., male soccer players). Research shows that when a person is reminded that others are negatively stereotyped (i.e., a negative outgroup stereotype), through social comparison to the denigrated group, that person's performance may be heightened (Chalabaev, Stone, Sarrazin, & STEREOTYPE THREAT IN SPORT Croizet, 2008;Froehlich, Martiny, Deaux, Goetz, & Mok, 2016;Laurin, 2013). This is known as stereotype lift (Walton & Cohen, 2003).…”

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Revised Implicit Theories of Intelligence (Self-Theory) Scale in High School Students

“…If people conceive intelligence as fixed (i.e. hold an entity theory), they prefer performance goals; if they conceive intelligence as malleable (i.e., hold an incremental theory), they prefer learning goals and believe that they can expand intelligence by effort (7). Individuals, who believe intelligence is malleable (a growth mindset) are better able to bounce back from failures than those, who believe intelligence is immutable (8).…”