Psychological Processes Underlying Stereotype Threat and Standardized Math Test Performance

The Effect of Teacher Charisma on Student Attitude Towards Calculus Learning

“…Ruffins indicated that students who fear mathematics have a tendency to exhibit avoidance behaviors such as not attending class, not participating while in class, and even acting out while in class, which decreases their mathematics competence and achievement [17]. Similarly, Ryan and Ryan stated that college-level students who have fear of mathematics did not participate or complete assignments, and avoided the teacher and the subject [18]. Even worse, some students with negative attitudes have suffered from high levels of mathematics anxiety and consequently avoided mathematics as much as possible and performed worse in mathematics [1] [19].…”

Stereotype Threat and the Standardized Testing Experiences of African American Children at an Urban Elementary School

“…Additionally, diagnostic standardized testing situations have been enough to evoke negative stereotype threat performance effects in stigmatized populations (Croizet & Claire, 1998;Gonzales, Blanton, & Williams, 2002;McKown & Weinstein, 2003;Steele & Aronson, 1995). Experiencing stereotype threat has been linked to orientation towards performance-avoidance achievement goals; a focus on avoiding negative judgments, instead of on mastering the task (Ryan & Ryan, 2005). Performance-avoidance achievement goals have been directly linked to increased anxiety , 2001Elliot, McGregor, & Gable, 1999;McGregor & Elliot, 2002;Middleton & Midgley, 1997;Skaalvik, 1997), decreased self-efficacy (Middleton & Midgley, 1997;Skaalvik, 1997), and subsequent depressed performance.…”

“…A performance-avoidance goal has been shown to be a positive predictor of cognitive disorganization, and a negative predictor of exam performance Middleton & Midgley, 1997). Ryan and Ryan (2005) have suggested a relationship between stereotype threat and achievement goals based on mediators including increased anxiety and decreased self-efficacy.…”

“…Performance-avoidance goals have been directly linked to increased anxiety and lower levels of performance , 2001McGregor & Elliot, 2002;Middleton & Midgley, 1997;Skaalvik, 1997). Ryan and Ryan (2005) suggested a model in which the situational cues that initiate stereotype threat orient an individual towards a performance-avoidance achievement goal, leading to increased test anxiety and diminished performance. Given the stereotype awareness of African American children (McKown & Weinstein, 2003) and the increasing importance of standardized testing at the elementary level (U. S. , 2007), it is possible that when African Americans experience stereotype threat in a standardized testing situation, they may orient themselves towards a performance-avoidance achievement goal, which may lead to increased anxiety and depressed performance.…”

Yes we can achieve in mathematics and why we don't : African American female eleventh and twelfth grade students in a career and technical setting.

“…After a review of the stereotype literature Ryan and Ryan (2005) concluded that "because ofthe negative stereotypes about females' and Blacks' mathematics achievement that are widely circulated throughout society, mathematics test performance by moderate-and high-achieving females and by Blacks will be depressed anytime the stereotype threat is activated" (p. 55).…”