When women can't do math: the interplay of self-construal, group identification, and stereotypic performance standards

The present research examined the interplay of self-construal (independent vs. interdependent), gender group identification, and performance standards (positive vs. negative) on women’s math performance. Female participants were given a subtle self-prime prior to completing a math test under conditions where either a positive or negative group-based performance standard was rendered accessible. We report an interactive effect of self-construal, gender identification, and performance standard such that a negative (compared to a positive) standard decreased performance under interdependent self-prime (“we”) conditions, whereas the reverse pattern emerged under independent self-prime (“I”) conditions. Importantly, we observed this interplay of performance standards and self-construal only in individuals who self-identify with their gender group whereas performance outcomes of low identifiers were not affected by the experimental manipulations

Satisfaction of basic psychological needs as a mediator of the relationship between community esteem and wellbeing

Past research has shown that possessing a strong sense of community or esteem for one’s community is positively related to feelings of psychological wellbeing. Much less research has examined what mechanisms may underlie this relationship. Self-determination theory, a theory of human personality and optimal functioning, proposes the existence of three species-typical basic psychological needs (for competence, relatedness, and autonomy), the satisfaction of which is crucial for experiencing wellbeing. We hypothesized that need satisfaction is a mediator of the relationship between feelings of esteem for one’s community and several widely employed measures of wellbeing among a sample of residents living in an urban community in the United States. In accord with the primary hypotheses, the results revealed a robust association between community esteem and both hedonic and eudaimonic measures of wellbeing. Furthermore, the associations between community esteem and wellbeing were mediated by self-reported satisfaction of basic psychological needs. This work contributes to an improved understanding of the complex relationship between esteem for one’s community and psychological wellbeing and has implications for debates surrounding the benefits and role of community in individuals’ lives

The generalization of positive intergroup attitudes : reducing intergroup anxiety

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on March 24, 2009)Vita.Thesis (Ph. D.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2007.[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Contact settings that include equal status, cooperation/pursuit of common goals, acquaintance potential, and authority sanction can improve intergroup attitudes. However, research investigating whether these attitudes generalize beyond the initial contact setting has yielded equivocal results. The present experiment examined the relationship between optimal intergroup contact with members of invisible and visible stigmatized groups, post-contact social support, and immediate as well as generalized intergroup attitudes. In line with predictions, the results revealed that participants in the contact with a member of a visible stigmatized group condition (i.e., Black-target) reported more positive intergroup attitudes than their contact with a member of an invisible stigmatized group counterparts (i.e., Schizophrenic-target). However, the results of the present study did not support the hypothesis that positive past experiences with members of a stigmatized group would be associated with more positive intergroup attitudes immediately after an optimal intergroup interaction. In addition, the results failed to reveal that the post-contact social support induction led to more positive generalized outgroup attitudes, feelings, or perceptions. Finally, the results failed to reveal that the ratings taken immediately after the contact setting, mediated the relationship between contact with a stigmatized target and generalized outgroup attitudes, feelings, or perceptions