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Adapting the values affirmation intervention to a multi-stereotype threat framework for female students in STEM

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Abstract

We examined if an adapted version of a brief social psychological intervention following a multi-threat framework can enhance the mental task performance of female college students under stereotype threat. In experiment 1, under self-as-target stereotype threat, as expected, students who were exposed to the self-affirmation intervention had the highest task performance. However, under group-as-target stereotype threat, we found similar performances of the students in both the self-affirmation and group-affirmation conditions compared to control condition. In experiment 2, we showed that the extent a female student is identified with her gender group moderates the effectiveness of the group-affirmation intervention. The current research encourages researchers to consider different understandings of self while instituting common stereotype threat interventions rather than taking a uniform approach.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Koc University, Rumeli Feneri Yolu, Sariyer, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey

    Esra Çetinkaya & Yasemin Kisbu-Sakarya

  2. Weber State University, 3848 Harrison Blvd, Ogden, UT, 84408, USA

    Sarah D. Herrmann

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  1. Esra Çetinkaya
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  2. Sarah D. Herrmann
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Correspondence to Yasemin Kisbu-Sakarya.

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Çetinkaya, E., Herrmann, S.D. & Kisbu-Sakarya, Y. Adapting the values affirmation intervention to a multi-stereotype threat framework for female students in STEM. Soc Psychol Educ 23, 1587–1607 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-020-09594-8

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