Introduction
This study’s design is experimental because the researchers have given the participants math tests; some groups received materials that stated the gender difference in results, while others did not have this statement on the cover sheet of their test. The purpose was to examine the effect of stereotype threat on women’s performance during a math test.
Variables
With this study, the independent and dependent etymology should be used to label the variables because this is an experiment. The independent variable is the arousal effect, while the dependent variable is the math test results.
Conceptual Definitions of Variables
Conceptually, the arousal effect is linked to the presence of the stereotype threat in this experiment, which is the participants’ knowledge, or lack of it, regarding the commonly accepted opinions regarding their gender. In this case, these opinions were linked to the women’s ability to perform well on a math test. Stereotype threat affects the behavior of individuals, leading to them behaving in a way that supports this stereotype. The math test results used in this experiment were separated into two categories: easy and difficult to show how the arousal effect helps perform better in an easier version of the test and hinders completion of difficult tasks.
Participants
The participants were selected based on their gender, and they were recruited through an introductory course in psychology. The authors did not have exclusion criteria since the participants enrolled to receive some credit for their psychology course, which also means that the researchers did not actively recruit these individuals. In total, 164 individuals participated; 105 of them were men and 59 women. In terms of ethnicity, 137 individuals were white, while other ethnic groups include African-Americans, Asian Americans, Latino, Indians, Native Americans, and mixed.
Procedure
The recruited individuals came to the laboratory and gave their consent to take part in this research. Next, the participants were given a math test and a questionnaire intended to measure their motivation and attitudes towards the test. Some groups received materials with the label stating that the test has shown to have gender differences, while others had a label that states that there were no gender differences. Additionally, the participants completed two versions of a math test, an easy one and a difficult one.
Measures/Operations Definitions
The independent variable was measured using the five-item questionnaire that assessed the motivation and attitudes towards the test, helping the researchers understand the motivation and apprehension. Next, the dependent variable was measured through the two math tests, a difficult and an easy one containing 15 SAT questions.
Hypothesis
- H1. Stereotype threat increases arousal;
- H2. People under stereotype threat perform poorly on difficult tasks;
- H3. People’s performance on easy tasks is better under stereotype threat;
Results
H1, H2, and H3 were confirmed by this study, hence, as expected, stereotype threat caused arousal among women, and they performed better on the easy test while performing worse on the difficult version of it. These findings are consistent with other research, which shows how anticipation of a certain stereotype about a group causes its member to behave in a stereotypical manner.
Conclusion
In a broader sense, the results mean that women’s performance at school or at work is affected by the social stereotypes, which typically factor in men. Due to the fact that women are aware of these stereotypes, their performance is impaired. Future research should be directed at examining the relationship between social stereotypes and people’s motivation towards tasks of varying difficulty.
Reference
O’Brien, L. T. & Crandall, C. S. (2003). Stereotype threat and arousal: Effects on women’s math performance. Performance & Social Psychology Bulletin, 29(6), 782-789. Web.