Examining the Role of Motivation in the Relationship Between Stereotype Threat and Test Performance

• In Event: Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: Contextual and Cultural Influences on Motivation, Engagement, and Affect

Abstract

Stereotype threat theory suggests that under certain situations, students of a minority status will demonstrate lowered performance on a meaningful task as they attempt not to confirm the negative stereotype to be true of their minority group. The purpose of this study was to examine motivational mechanisms of this stereotype threat effect among African American college students. Using 294 undergraduate students in four different racial groups, stereotype threat and achievement goals were manipulated, and test anxiety, self-efficacy, and performance on a verbal skills test were measured. A MANOVA revealed that only race significantly predicted verbal test performance, test anxiety, and self-efficacy and that there was no stereotype threat effect among this sample. Test anxiety also differed among achievement goal conditions.

Authors

• Daniel J. Taylor, University of Houston

• Christopher A. Wolters, The Ohio State University

• Weihua Fan, University of Houston

• Shirley L. Yu, University of Houston