Ambady, Shih, Kim, & Pittinsky, 2001
These studies focused in
the emergence of stereotype threat in children. In
Experiment 1, Asian-American girls ranging in age
from kindergarten to 8th grade completed tasks that were
intended to highlight their Asian identity, their female
identity, or neither identity (control). Following
these tasks, all girls completed items from a
grade-appropriate standardized math test. Girls
from lower-elementary and middle school grades showed a
similar effect: math performance was bolstered
when Asian identity had been made salient but harmed
when female identity had been made salient.
Upper-elementary students, in contrast, performed best
when their female identity had been highlighted.
Experiment 2 focused on Asian-American boys. Boys
in lower-elementary and middle school grades performed
better in the gender and race identity than in the
control condition, providing evidence of the potential beneficial
consequences of stereotypes suggesting strong
math performance. Upper-elementary boys
performed better when gender than when race was
highlighted. These results show that children can
be affected by stereotype threat in a fashion similar to
adults. Upper-elementary students showed a
pattern that might reflect the typical
presumed superiority of one's own sex group during
upper-elementary years.
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