Protecting against stereotype threat: examining multiple social identities as a buffering tool

Abstract

Research on stereotype threat has begun to shift its focus from establishing the phenomenon to identifying mechanisms that buffer against its negative psychological and behavioural consequences. Social identity theory suggests that social identities can function as beneficial resources in the face of stressful events (Tajfel, 1974). However, there has been limited experimental research conducted into the protective role of social identities against stereotype threat. Consequently, the aim of this thesis was to examine multiple social identities that are unrelated to the domain of threat as a buffer against stereotype threat. One hundred and four first-year and paid female participants were randomly allocated to five conditions varying in the type and amount of social identities made salient, and asked to complete a mathematics test. It was hypothesised that participants in a classical stereotype threat condition where only gender was made salient would perform worse on the test in comparison to all other conditions. More importantly, it was predicted that regardless of whether the alternative social identities offered were stereotype relevant or not, the identities would buffer against stereotype threat and more additional identities would each provide enhancements in buffering. These hypotheses were all supported which suggests that having more social identities are beneficial in protecting against stereotype threat, even when they are unrelated to the domain of threat. Limitations of the study, future directions, and the theoretical and practical implications are discussed