A longitudinal examination of the role of stereotype threat and racial climate on college outcomes for minorities at elite institutions

Abstract

This paper employs hierarchical linear models to explore the long-term effects of stereotype threat on college outcomes for students in the National Longitudinal Survey of Freshmen. Performance burden was negatively related to both grades and social satisfaction with college. Social satisfaction with college was also significantly impacted by students' perception of the campus racial climate. This paper examines the combined impact of performance burden, campus racial climate, cumulative GPA, and social life satisfaction early in college on 4 year graduation rates. Overall, while there are large initial differences in the likelihood of graduating on time for black and Hispanic students relative to whites, these differences are completely explained by assessments of campus racial climate, social life satisfaction, and grades. The findings suggest that interventions to reduce stereotype threat and improve the racial atmosphere on campus may go a long way towards reducing-and in some cases eliminating-disparities between racial/ethnic groups in college outcomes.

Perceptions matter: faculty caring, campus racial climate and academic performance

“…Perceptions of campus racial climate and academic performance vary by ethnicity. Past studies reported differential perceptions of campus racial climate between students from under represented populations and White students (Hurtado , Cabrera & Nora , Nora & Cabrera , Fischer ). Other reports also indicate the differential effect of ethnicity on academic achievement (Johnson et al .…”

Factors Influencing Academic Motivation of Ethnic Minority Students: A Review

“…Nonethnicity-specific factors, such as socioeconomic background, exert an influence as well (Fischer, 2010;Herweijer, 2003;Mallett et al, 2011;Stegers-Jager, Steyerberg, CohenSchotanus, & Themmen, 2012). However, these factors only partly explain underperformance in ethnic minority students.…”

Affirmative Action at a Crossroads: Fisher and Forward

“…The first longitudinal study to look at the impact of stereotype burden on college outcomes over time was based on a survey of 4,000 students at 28 selective colleges and universities during their freshman and sophomore years (Fischer, ). The survey found that Blacks had the highest average perceptions of a negative campus racial climate (5.7), followed by Asians and Hispanics (3.3), with White students having the least negative perceptions (1.8) (Fischer, ). And in these competitive environments, students who felt greater performance burden due to stereotype threat had significantly lower grades and studied less, resulting in lower GPAs (Fischer, ).…”

“…The survey found that Blacks had the highest average perceptions of a negative campus racial climate (5.7), followed by Asians and Hispanics (3.3), with White students having the least negative perceptions (1.8) (Fischer, ). And in these competitive environments, students who felt greater performance burden due to stereotype threat had significantly lower grades and studied less, resulting in lower GPAs (Fischer, ).…”