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 * A stereotype is defined as a social perception of an individual in terms of group members hip or physical attributes. It is a generalization that is made about a group and then attributed to the members of that group.
 * Researchers now explain stereotyping as a result of schema processing.
 * Stereotype threat occurs when one is in a situation where there is a threat of being judged or treated stereotypically, or a fear of doing something that would inadvertently confirm that stereotype.
 * Experiment: Steele and Aronson
 * Groups of African American and European Americans
 * African group set tricky questions presented as a genuine test of their verbal abilities. Marks dropped down to well below the other group.
 * 2nd round, other group presented with same test as a laboratory task that was used to study how certain problems are generally solved. Marks rose to meet the other group. Same occurred with gender/class differentiated groups.
 * Concluded that stereotype threaten can affect the members of just about any social or cultural group, if the members believe in the stereotype. Aronson argues that this could explain why some racial and social groups believe that they are more or less intelligent than others.
 * According to Steele, stereotype threat turns on spotlight anxiety, which causes emotional distress and pressure that may undermine performance.
 * Spencer et al experiment
 * Testing effect of stereotype threat on intellectual performance.
 * Group of students strong in mathematics given a v. difficult maths test.
 * Hypothesis was that women would underperform compared to the men, as for them there is stereotype threat as women are often perceived as being poor in mathematics.
 * Experiment found that women underperformed.
 * However, both genders performed equally well when subjected to a literature skills test; Spencer decided that was because women are not stereotype threatened in this area.
 * Campbell's Grain of Truth hypothesis- that people apply an experience with one member from a group to the whole group.
 * Illusory correlation where people see a connection between two variables, even if one does not exist.
 * Snyder and Swann experiment (1978)
 * Female college students told that they would meet a person who was either introverted or extroverted, and instructed to prepare a list of questions.
 * Participants who thought they were meeting an introvert asked questions like 'what do you dislike about parties?' or 'are there times you wish you could be more outgoing?' and extroverts were asked 'what do you do to liven up a party'?