Socioeconomic status stereotype affects motor learning

Abstract

Research evidence suggests that different populations may have impaired motor performance and learning due to practice conditions with negative gender, weight, and age stereotypes. The effects of socioeconomic stereotypes on motor learning, however, are still unknown. The present study investigated the effects of the low socioeconomic status stereotype on learning a motor skill. Participants, low-income young adults of both sexes (mean age 26.6 ± 4.63 years), were randomized into two groups: stereotype threat (ST) and nullified stereotype threat (NST). Before practicing a spatiotemporal accuracy skill on the computer, participants were told that people with middle and high income generally perform better on the task than people with low income (ST), or that performance on the task is not influenced by individual differences (NST). Learning, or relatively permanent effects on performance, was measured one day after practice via a retention test. The results revealed similar performance of the groups during the practice phase (p = .065). However, the stereotype threat group performed significantly worse on the task than the nullified stereotype threat group on the retention test (p = .039). These findings provide the first evidence that socioeconomic stereotypes can affect motor learning.