Lindsay hopes to gain admission to graduate school to become a chemical engineer, and needs to take the Graduate Record Exams (GRE) in physics and chemistry as part of her application. Although she has gotten excellent grades in both chemistry and physics in college, when she enters the room for her physics test she can't help but notice that almost all of the students taking the test are male, and she is only one of a handful of female students. According to research by Claude Steele, what might be the effect of Lindsay's awareness that she is vastly outnumbered by male students?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Steele's research on stereotype threat suggests that when members of a group (in this case, women) are aware of negative stereotypes associated with their group, they may experience anxiety or distractions that can negatively impact their performance. Since Lindsay is aware that she is outnumbered by male students, she may feel the pressure to perform well and overcome the stereotype that women may not be as good at physics as men. This additional pressure and distraction could lower her score on the exam.

Lindsay Hopes to Gain Admission to Graduate School to Become