New Study Finds The Stereotype Threat Is Not a Factor for HBCU Students

Claude Steele, professor emeritus in the social sciences at Stanford University pioneered the concept of stereotype vulnerability. Professor Steele and his colleagues conducted a number of experiments when subjects performing challenging tasks are aware that their ability is being gauged by their race are generally thought to perform poorly, they feel anxious about confirming or being judged by the stereotype, and their anxiety interferes with their performance. Professor Steele wrote a book on the subject: Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do (W.W. Norton, 2010). Previous studies have found the prejudice that Black people are less intelligent than White people can have detrimental effects on the performance of Black subjects. When reminded of their racial identity before taking a test – and put under the lens of this negative stereotype – Black students have significantly higher blood pressure rates, are more cognizant of their racial identity, and perform worse on the test when it is framed as a measure of intelligence. But a new study co-authored by William A. “Sandy” Darity Jr., a professor of public policy and economics at Duke University, found that threat to have no effect on a previously underexamined cohort: HBCU students....