This application addresses broad Challenge Area (12) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (STEM) and specific Challenge Topic, 12-OD-105: Identification of practices that overcome equity issues in STEM learning. Although there has been progress over the past 30 years, women are still under-represented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. In contrast to many explanations that focus on biological or socialization factors for why women are under-represented in STEM fields, the concept of stereotype threat-defined broadly as a concern about confirming a negative stereotype about one's group-is an avenue for understanding how situational factors cause women both to perform below their potential on STEM tasks and report a decreased interest in STEM careers. The proposed program of research uses recent advances in stereotype threat theory, including a framework of multiple, qualitatively distinct stereotype threats, to evaluate and test self-affirmation as a stereotype threat intervention. Although self-affirmation has been shown to reduce the negative effects of stereotype threat, this may only be true for stereotype threats with the self as the focus of the threat (i.e., concerns about one's performance reflecting on one's own personal abilities). In contrast, group-as-target stereotype threats (i.e., concerns about one's performance reflecting on women's abilities) may require group-affirmations. Theoretically, the proposed studies will advance stereotype threat theory, in particular in terms of intervention. Pragmatically, the proposed studies will inform interventionists of the limited scope of some stereotype threat interventions. More importantly, it will demonstrate the utility of considering multiple, distinct, stereotype threats for designing, developing, and implementing strong, theoretically-driven stereotype threat-reducing interventions to support recruitment, retention, re-entry, and advancement of women in STEM careers. Public Health Relevance: Stereotype threat-defined broadly as a concern about confirming a negative stereotype about one's group- identifies how situational factors (e.g., proportion of women in one's workplace) lead to under-performance and under-representation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, in addition to increasing the likelihood that women will suffer negative health consequences such as increased general anxiety, blood pressure, and feelings of dejection. The successful completion of the proposed project will provide important evidence for the development of effective intervention programs designed to eliminate sex/gender disparities;promote the careers of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math fields;and increase the general health and well-being of women.
Stereotype threat-defined broadly as a concern about confirming a negative stereotype about one's group- identifies how situational factors (e.g., proportion of women in one's workplace) lead to under-performance and under-representation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, in addition to increasing the likelihood that women will suffer negative health consequences such as increased general anxiety, blood pressure, and feelings of dejection. The successful completion of the proposed project will provide important evidence for the development of effective intervention programs designed to eliminate sex/gender disparities; promote the careers of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math fields;and increase the general health and well-being of women.
