PSYC 351 Study Guide - Final Guide: Stereotype Threat, Alfredo Stroessner, Robert K. Merton
Exam 4 Questions
1. Define and describe both self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotype threat. Provide a real-world
example of each. Using the research be sure to describe fully the process for each.
Since their introduction, stereotype threat and the self-fulfilling prophecy have become
the most widely studied topics in the field of social psychology. A self-fulfilling prophecy, also
known as the Pygmalion Effect, is a prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become
true, by the very terms of the prophecy itself, due to positive feedback between belief and
behavior (Merton, 1948). A stereotype threat is a situational dilemma in which people feel
themselves to be at risk of conforming to stereotypes about their social group which often
interferes with that individual’s performance.
When our beliefs and expectations influence our behavior at the subconscious level, we
are enacting what is known as a self-fulfilling prophecy. An example of self-fulfilling prophecy
is the expectation that a speech you have to give at an event will go horribly, therefore there is no
surprise when you stutter, mumble, and frequently forget your next point while speaking. Many
social expectations influence behavior making these expectations true, a persons self-fulfilling
fear of being judged is based on a negative stereotype. People who tend to be caught in negative
self-fulfilling prophecies often suffer from low self-esteem where they perform upon an
excessively critical self-evaluation. This leads to a vicious cycle, where their negative mindset
strengthens their self-fulfilling prophecies.
Stereotype threat is when people are at risk of confirming a negative stereotype of their
group and it interferes with their performance. Stereotype threats vary by context and stereotype,
a situational threat is not based on internalized stereotypes and a general process threat can apply
to any group that is negatively stereotyped (Baker, 2018). Knowing a stereotype exists about
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one’s group can affect one’s performance when put in a situation that one could confirm a
stereotype. They lead to reduced effort causing people who fear they might live up to a
stereotype to reduce their effort so they have an excuse if they fall into that stereotype
(Stroessner). For example, people may not prepare for a test so they have an excuse when they
do poorly.
A study conducted by Steele and Aronson (1995) involved the observation of the
performance on academic tests of Black and White students. Steele and Aronson conducted this
study in response to the negative stereotype of Black students being less intelligent and less
competent than White students. The results of the study confirmed that when test instructors
emphasized the role of race before the test, Black students performed worse than White students.
When instructors did not emphasize race, Black and White students performed equally well. In
essence, stereotype threat occurs when people fear that they will live up to a negative stereotype
about their group. In response to their fear, they participate in disengaging and self-defeating
behaviors that ironically cause them to live up to the feared stereotype.
An example of self-fulfilling prophecy is the expectation of “girls are not very good at
math” making this person behave in a way that makes them not call on a female in class
“because they probably don’t know the answer” and in turn making the female in class think
“why should I try if he never calls on me.” An example of stereotype threat is knowing the
knowledge of a stereotype exiting about one’s group affecting behavior when put in a situation
that one could confirm a stereotype. Such as girls are not good at math, Blacks are intellectually
inferior, or White men can’t play ball.
References
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