Jackson is a former member of a street gang.He has recently started attending classes at a local community college,has made new friends who don't know about his former gang membership,and is spending time with a girl from an upper-middle-class background.Jackson heard his new friends and his girlfriend make several snide comments about gang members shortly before he took a test in one of the classes he shares with his new friends.In the light of the stereotype threat idea,this situation may cause Jackson to ________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Stereotype threat occurs when an individual feels that their performance may confirm a negative stereotype about a group they belong to. In this case, Jackson may feel that his new friends and girlfriend hold negative views about gang members, which he used to be a part of. This may cause him to feel anxious and concerned that his performance on the test will confirm their negative beliefs about gang members. As a result, he may perform worse on the test than he otherwise would have if he did not feel this stereotype threat.

Jackson Is a Former Member of a Street Gang