Stereotype threat is a highly evident phenomenon that has been used to explain why minority groups underperform in academics compared to Caucasians (Steele, 1997; Steele, Spencer, & Aronson, 2002). This study examined whether an induced feeling of belonging (via information about potential), either in the academic or social domain, can attenuate the effects of stereotype threat on the academic performance of African Americans and Latinos. Results suggest that minority students who are told they have either academic potential or are not told any information about potential (i.e., control condition) perform similarly on an IQ test. However, when minority students are told they have social potential, a marginally significant decrease in performance is evident when compared to the academic potential and control conditions. At the same time, the performance of Caucasian students is not affected by information about potential
