The effects of stereotypes and individuating information on Black students' susceptibility to stereotype threat.

The central focus of this thesis was to demonstrate that the targets of negative stereotypes are motivated perceivers that rely on stereotypes and individuating information to formulate their beliefs in the probability of being negatively stereotyped. Research on stereotype threat has shown that concerns about being negatively stereotyped can have detrimental effects on the test performances of Black students (Steele & Aronson, 1995). A major assumption of the dissertation was that Black students rely on stereotypical perceptions of the person evaluating their ability to determine the probability of being stereotyped. When the individual evaluating their ability is White, Black students perceive a high probability of being stereotyped; when the evaluator is Black they perceive a low probability of being stereotyped. These perceptions then influence whether or not these students will experience the effects of stereotype threat. When Black students are provided with individuating information about the evaluator that is contrary to their stereotypical perceptions, they will use this information in determining whether or not they will be negatively stereotyped. Stereotype threat processes occur when this individuating information suggests that there is a high probability that the students will be negatively stereotyped. Across three experiments, the test performance of Black students was impaired when they perceived a high probability of being stereotyped. The first experiment revealed that Black students experienced the effects of stereotype threat when the test administrator was White, but not when she was Black. Two follow-up experiments demonstrated that individuating information about the test administrator, contrary to the Black students' perceptions, facilitated stereotype threat effects, when the test administrator was Black, and decreased the effects of stereotype threat when the test administrator was White. Collectively, these studies provide strong evidence that the targets of stereotypes use both stereotypes and individuating information about the person assessing their abilities in order to crystallize their beliefs about the probability of being stereotyped. Specifically, information that increases the strength of this belief leads to impaired test performance among Black students, while information that decreases the strength of this belief enhances their test performance.Ph.D.Black studiesPsychologySocial SciencesSocial psychologyUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/124594/2/3150120.pd

Standing on the shoulders of a giant: The legacy of Robert M. Sellers

Robert M. Sellers, PhD, most known for his influential and highly cited Multidimensional Model of Racial Identity (MMRI), is one of the most prolific and foundational Black scholars in psychology. From racial identity theory development and measurement to conceptual and methodological innovations in studying the lived experiences of Black people, Sellers' scholarship centers on the lives of Black communities. Sellers' mentorship and contributions to the professional development of scholars and professionals of color have supported and catalyzed new intergenerational knowledge building by these scholars, ensuring a perpetuating and far-reaching legacy in psychology. In this article, we: (a) celebrate Sellers' enduring contribution to the racial identity literature and its profound impact on psychology as a discipline as well as numerous subfields of psychology, (b) outline his contributions to the racial socialization literature, (c) describe methodological innovations in racial identity and racial socialization research advanced through his scholarship, and (d) summarize his contributions in professional development and mentorship and his leadership roles. Sellers' scholarly contributions and mentorship have transformed the discipline of psychology and the social sciences broadly speaking, making him one of the most influential psychologists in the modern era. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)