In Steele's 1997 study on race and academic performance, he administered a difficult academic test to black and white students. Some students were told it was a lab test, while others were told it was a test of academic ability. Which of the following best describes the outcome of this study?
A) Individuals in both conditions performed poorly regardless of their race.
B) White students performed better than black students regardless of which testing condition they were assigned.
C) Black students performed better than white students regardless of which testing condition they were assigned.
D) When told the test was a lab test, there were no racial differences in performance; when told it was a test of academic ability, there were racial differences in performance.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Steele's study found that when the test was framed as a measure of academic ability, black students performed worse than white students, likely due to the pressure of negative stereotypes (stereotype threat). However, when the test was presented as a lab test without implications for measuring ability, this performance gap disappeared, indicating that the context and perceived purpose of the test significantly affected the students' performance.

In Steele's 1997 Study on Race and Academic Performance, He