Stereotype threat
- Created by: Alasdair
- Created on: 29-10-17 13:42
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- Stereotype threat
- Stereotype threat (def)
- A form of unconscious self-sabotaging
- It occurs when person underperforms on task because they belong to a group that is negatively stereotyped as being bad at this task
- It affects physical and cognitive performance
- It occurs whether or not you believe or endorse the stereotype
- It can become a self-fulfilling prophecy
- You worry so much about being bad at x that you do badly at x
- Several things amplify and worsen stereotype threat:
- If you really care about the task
- If the task is high-stakes
- If you are reminded you belong to the stereotyped group before or during the task
- Costs of suffering stereotype threat
- It's harder for you to perform as well at a task as those not stereotyped, even if you and they have the same abilities and dedication
- This is a Bad Thing
- It's unfair and unjust
- It's bad for them: they underperform
- It's bad for the others: everyone else loses out on their contributions (insights, skills, abilities)
- This is a Bad Thing
- It's harder for you to perform as well at a task as those not stereotyped, even if you and they have the same abilities and dedication
- Stereotype threat and philosophy
- Our ideas about what philosophy is and what sort of qualities you need to do it well and what 'doing' philosophy involves are highly stereotyped
- Examples
- Traits required to do well in philosophy are stereotyped as male
- Rational, logical, objective
- Philosophising often involves behaviours that are stereotyped as male
- Confident, loud, aggressive
- Philosophical tradition is filled with stereotype amplifiers
- e.g. it is about the views of dead, white males
- Traits required to do well in philosophy are stereotyped as male
- Critics reply:
- "reason is pure" or "philosophy doesn't have a gender"
- Slogans: not reasoned responses to arguments of feminist philosophers and epistemologists
- "reason is pure" or "philosophy doesn't have a gender"
- What can you do about stereotype threat?
- Some things are best dealt with structurally
- By changing environements
- E.g. removing stereotype triggers from teaching rooms
- 1. Focus on counter-stereotypical exemplars
- People who violate the negative stereotype
- e.g. a woman professor, the black president of US
- 2. Shift positive stereotypes as and where you can
- Some things are best dealt with structurally
- Stereotype threat (def)
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