Question

Stereotypes, as we have come to understand, are assumptions that some individuals have about certain groups. Stereotypes can span across race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual preference, and other areas. We have also come to understand that individuals within these different groups face stereotype threat, or the risk of people feeling they are conforming to the stereotypes that exist about their social group. In your initial discussion post for this unit consider the impact that stereotype threat can have on an individual and respond to the questions below: What influence might stereotype threat have on an individual? What might this influence in their life? Why? What would be the importance of having conversations across different social groups about how stereotype threat impacts them? Would a conversation of this nature be beneficial? Why or why not? What steps could be taken to change the influence that stereotype threats have within a cultural group?

Answer 1

Stereotype threat is the situation where an individual become concerned about being stereotyped as the part of a negative group while performing in a particular domain. Stereotype threat affects the performance of the individual as the individual become increasingly aware of the chances of being negatively stereotyped and performs under pressure and anxiety.

The stereotype threat may influence their entire life and would not allow them to perform to their potential like other group individuals in the threatened domain. They would be afraid of their chances of being negatively stereotyped based on their identity in all their actions. The major life decisions like choosing the profession, higher education field etc gets affected as the individual do not want to enter the threatened domain.

Having conversation across different social groups would help to understand the domains each groups are afraid to perform and develop better plans to control such stereotype threats. Such a conversation would be beneficial because other groups involved in conversation also would understand the reason behind a particular group’s underperformance and can support each other. Coordination and collaboration between the individuals from different groups may improve through such open conversations.

The steps that could be taken to change the influence that stereotype threats have within a cultural group includes helping the individuals to develop a growth mindset and teach them to consider failures as a stepping stone to new opportunities and success. The leaders should encourage open communication from all the team members and all the members should be encouraged to perform the task in the same way. The individuals who are under the influence of stereotype threat should be given enough motivation to reduce the effects of the threat. Providing examples of individuals who were successful in the specific domain overcoming the stereotype threat would be helpful in motivating them. De-emphasizing the social identities also would help to reduce the effects of stereotype threats. Another step that can be taken is self affirmation which reminds the individual about their own aspects that they value as part of their self esteem forgetting the threatened domain. The individual would be able to perfrom well within a cultural group through these steps.