Status Processes and Mental Ability Test Scores

Abstract

The expected consequences of a score on an ability test can constrain individual performance. The authors predict that status processes, including status differences and the differences in rewards and costs that result, will produce differences in ability test scores between high-status and low-status individuals. In three controlled experiments, participants randomly assigned low status scored lower on a standard test of mental ability (the Raven Progressive Matrices) than did participants assigned high status. For both men and women, the difference in ability test score between low-status and high-status participants was about half a standard deviation. The results suggest the need to account for status differences in any attempt to measure mental ability accurately.

Racial-ethnic self-schemas: Multidimensional identity-based motivation

“…In this framework, strong identification with the culture of origin to the exclusion of connection to broader society is posited to be a response to discrimination that acts as a risk factor by keeping youth from engaging with school as a broader societal institution. A similar conclusion can be drawn following status characteristics theory (Lovaglia et al, 1998), which posits that excluding the in-group from representations of larger society marks the in-group as lower status and reduces chances of success because success is seen as incongruent with group status both among low and high status group members. Ferguson (2001) comes to a similar conclusion based on national trends in academic attainment, study time, and student beliefs about education among African American, Latina/o and White youth (using the National Assessment of Educational Progress data).…”

“…Low status (e.g., Lovaglia, Lucas, Houser, Thye, & Markovsky, 1998) and race-ethnicity based stereotypes threaten social identities (Major & O'Brien, 2005) and can have debilitating effects on academic performance (e.g., Steele, 1997). Taken together, social identity-based research implies high risk for low-status, minority, and stigmatized groups when racial-ethnic identity focuses only on the in-group.…”

Is it Too Late Baby? Pinpointing the Emergence of a Black-White Test Score Gap in Infancy

“…Overall, they conclude that "stereotype threat seems to exert its influence by reducing efficiency… and may also increase test anxiety for Blacks" (423). Lovaglia et al (1998) performed a study to test an idea similar to stereotype threat based on status characteristics theory. This theory argues that there are certain expectations that come with different statuses.…”

“…High achieving low status individuals are seen as "uppity" and low achieving high status individuals are seen as not living up to their potential. Because of the possible sanctions, Lovaglia et al (1998) argue that those of low status make a rational calculation to perform poorly on tests when a high performance would violate their status and potentially lead to a sanction.…”

Skill uncertainty and social inference

“…1 Similar inferences based on social information are found in the work of Cohen and Zhou (1991), Jemmott and Gonzalez (1989), and Lovaglia et al (1998).…”