‘Women Are Bad at Math, but I'M Not, Am I?’ Fragile Mathematical Self–Concept Predicts Vulnerability to A Stereotype Threat Effect on Mathematical Performance

Abstract

The present research reports the results of three studies showing that individuals with a fragile self-concept in the domain of performance are particularly vulnerable to stereotype threat effects. Specifically, women who explicitly described themselves as rather mathematical but whose implicit self-concepts contradicted these claims were vulnerable to stereotype threat effects on mathematical performance. This effect was robust across three studies, independent of the subtleness or content of the stereotype threat manipulation. Additionally, it was shown that the effect was mediated by anxious worrying (Study 3).

Twenty years of stereotype threat research: A review of psychological mediators.

“…The mixed results regarding anxiety as a potential mediator of performance outcomes may be indicative of various boundary conditions that enhance stereotype threat susceptibility. Consistent with this claim, Gerstenberg, Imhoff and Schmitt (Experiment 3 [76]) found that women who reported a fragile math self-concept solved fewer math problems under group-astarget stereotype threat and this susceptibility was mediated by increased anxiety. This moderated-mediation suggests that women with a low academic self-concept may be more vulnerable to stereotype threat, with anxiety underpinning its effect on mathematical performance.…”

How Implicit–Explicit Consistency of the Intelligence Self–Concept Moderates Reactions to Performance Feedback

“…Individuals with a fragile mathematical ability self‐concept worried the most and were particularly vulnerable to a stereotype threat manipulation. Moreover, the stereotype threat effect was mediated by worrying (Gerstenberg, Imhoff, & Schmitt, ). In conclusion, for individuals with a fragile SCI (high eSCI and low iSCI), we predicted that negative feedback would threaten their fragile self‐view.…”

“…As for their expected reactions to negative feedback, two different predictions are plausible and in line with the previous literature. Based on research showing a buffering effect of a positive implicit self‐concept, modest individuals' performance could be expected to remain unaffected by negative feedback, as has been shown for stereotype threat (Gerstenberg, Imhoff, & Schmitt, ). However, defensive processing (Schröder‐Abé et al, ) could also be the case and lead to a performance decrease after negative feedback.…”

“…Indirect support for this premise comes from our stereotype threat research. Gerstenberg, Imhoff, and Schmitt () found in several studies that women with a fragile self‐concept of mathematical ability (high explicit self‐concept combined with low implicit self‐concept) suffered from a strong performance decline (fewer correct responses on a math test) after different stereotype threat manipulations that activated the gender concept. As stereotype threat can be considered to be a kind of collective negative feedback about one's group's performance, these results may serve as a first indication that a fragile self‐concept constitutes a vulnerability to the debilitating effect of negative feedback.…”

Implicit Self-Stereotyping Under Eye Gaze: The Effects of Gaze Cues on Implicit Math Identity Among Women

“…Furthermore, Schmader et al (2008) argued that stereotype threat stems from a state of imbalance among these links. Therefore, stereotype threat effects are also moderated by the strength of the associative links between stereotypes, group identity, and self-concepts (Forbes & Schmader, 2010;Gerstenberg, Imhoff, & Schmitt, 2012;Schmader et al, 2008). For example, the extent of the internalization of math-gender stereotypes moderates women's susceptibility to stereotype threat regarding gender differences in math abilities (Bonnot & Croizet, 2007;Brown & Pinel, 2003;Schmader, Johns, & Barquissau, 2004;Schmader et al, 2008).…”