Stereotype Threat

Abstract

Stereotype threat is the fear of confirming, via one's behavior, a negative stereotype associated with one's group. In this sense, stereotype threat can beset members of any group for which a negative stereotype exists. It is therefore not unique to any particular social, racial, or ethnic group, making it a powerful and widely applicable theory. Stereotype threat can be applied to any type of behavior, provided that the behavior can be used as evidence for the stereotypes associated with one's group. Despite its far‐ranging applications and implications, much of the stereotype threat research has focused on its effects in academic settings. This emphasis on academics is not all that surprising, considering that this is arguably the one area where stereotype threat may have the most profound consequences in terms of career and educational opportunities. Indeed, the theory of stereotype threat has become the dominant theory for explaining persistent group‐based differences for racial minorities in higher education and women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM fields).