Revealing stereotype threat effects and women’s maths performancethe moderating role of mathematical anxiety

  1. Daniel Pérez-Garín
  2. Antonio Bustillos
  3. Fernando Molero
Journal:
International Journal of Social Psychology, Revista de Psicología Social

ISSN: 0213-4748,  1579-3680

Year of publication: 2017

Volume: 32

Issue: 2

Pages: 287-300

Type: Article

DOI: 10.1080/02134748.2017.1291746 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR

More publications in: International Journal of Social Psychology, Revista de Psicología Social

Abstract

Stereotype threat is a phenomenon by which members of a stereotyped group have their performance impaired when their group identity is made salient. Previous research has found that telling women about stereotype threat prevents impaired performance in mathematical tasks. Moreover, the effect of stereotype threat seems to be moderated by mathematical anxiety. The present work seeks (1) to test the effect of stereotype threat on women’s maths performance taking into account a previous maths score, (2) to replicate in a Spanish sample the protective effect of teaching intervention and (3) to test the moderator role of maths anxiety in the relationship between stereotype threat and impaired performance. Participants (110 undergraduate students) were randomly assigned to either stereotype threat or teaching intervention condition and the decrement in their performance was used as a dependent variable. Stereotype threat only impairs the performance of women with higher maths anxiety scores, and teaching intervention is effective to ameliorate this decrement in performance. We recommend the development of programmes that teach girls about stereotype threat and reduce mathematical anxiety.

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Data source: Dialnet