Effects of role model deservingness on overcoming performance deficits induced by stereotype threat

Abstract

Previous research has shown that exposure to successful role models can restore performance that had been impaired by stereotype threat, and that some role models are more effective than others. The present research examined the effects of role model deservingness on women's mathematics test performance after being placed under stereotype threat. In Experiment 1, a woman who attained success by herself (deserved) proved a more effective role model than an equally likable and successful woman whose success was handed to her (not deserved). In Experiment 2, women role models proved more effective at combating stereotype threat when their successes were attributable to internal-stable (deserved) than external-unstable (not deserved) causes, an effect that was partially mediated by reduction in extra-task thinking. The results are seen as having implications for theories of stereotype threat and causal attribution.

Engineering academic performance with selective retrieval: the benefits of implied ability

“…It is possible that participants induced to believe they have higher ability actually perform better for a variety of reasons. Research on stereotype threat, for instance, indicates that participants who are not under threat or are alleviated from the threat perform better because they have available more cognitive resources (Schmader & Johns, ), or because they are not ruminating about the negative stereotype (McIntyre, Paulson, Taylor, Morin, & Lord, ). Given that retrieval fluency has been shown to be somewhat less deliberative in nature, the present results might be due to differences in participants' automatic processing.…”

An “Obama effect” on the GRE General Test?

“…The first, discussed by Aronson et al (2009) in interpreting their negative findings, is that Black test-takers may have seen Obama as a superstar, his success too extraordinary and unattainable for him to be a role model (Lockwood & Kunda, 1997). The second explanation is that they may have thought Obama was not deserving of success, thus impairing his effectiveness as a model (McIntyre, Paulson, Taylor, Morin, & Lord, 2011;. Both speculations are contradicted by poll data.…”

Developing Future Women Leaders: The Importance of Mentoring and Role Modeling in the Girls’ School Context

“…The need to ensure that girls are equipped with the skills to deconstruct media images of women was raised earlier by Bullen (2009). This judgment was also supported by McIntyre et al (2011) who explored the use of role modeling in contesting stereotypic threat to leadership behavior. Other studies cited in the literature review referred to the importance of female role models in encouraging girls' participation in nontraditional careers (Buck et al, 2008;Cotner et al, 2011).…”