Reducing Vulnerability to Stereotype Threat

June 20, 2011

Students experience anxiety when confronted with a personally relevant stereotype that threatens their self-esteem or social identity. This anxiety can interfere with students’ thinking and performance on tests and other classroom activities. ‘Stereotype threat’ is of particular relevance in Wisconsin, which has one of the nation’s largest achievement gaps. Geoffrey Borman is evaluating two programs intended to address the problem of stereotype threat. Findings should help to reduce the achievement gap and affect education policy and practice in the state. More about Borman’s research is available here.