Negative stereotypes can lead to cognitive drain among students identifying with the groups affected
Monday, November 10, 2014 - 07:00
in Psychology & Sociology
Why do some solid students stumble on the SATs or final exams? Maybe the tests were too hard, or the teachers didn't cover the necessary material, or the students didn't study properly. But perhaps the ability to perform at an optimal level is undermined by anxieties triggered when people's identities are tied to groups that society stereotypes as intellectually inferior, says esteemed social psychologist and author Claude Steele.