Ethnic Stereotypes Predict Science Motivation in Latino Middle School Students

• In Event: Understanding the Antecedents of Gender and Ethnic Under-representation in STEM among Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: STEM stereotypes can transmit messages about who has interest, ability, and will be successful in the STEM fields (Master et al., 2021). STEM stereotypes about racial/ethnic groups can negatively impact self-concepts for minoritized students (Evans et al., 2011). For instance, Latino students often feel a low sense of belonging in STEM (Rodriguez & Blaney, 2021) and are less likely than White students to develop an interest in STEM careers during middle school (Saw et al., 2018). This study examines the association between Latino students’ stereotypes about ethnic groups and their science motivation (interest, belonging, and ability self-concepts), within the framework of Social Identity Theory (Rattan et al., 2018). That is, this study illustrates how racial and ethnic identity can negatively affect Latino students’ interpretation of their interest, ability, and sense of belonging in the STEM field. A positive sense of their own group’s interest and ability may be positively related to personal motivation but viewing other racial groups as comparatively more capable or interested than one’s own group may be negatively related to motivation.

Hypotheses: Hypotheses and analysis plan were preregistered on the Open Science Framework (OSF).
Study Population: 387 Latino (168 girls, 191 boys, 28 other/no response; 179 sixth graders, 208 seventh graders; 264 primarily spoke Spanish at home; 176 qualified for free/reduced price lunch) early adolescents enrolled in an ethnically diverse school district. Participants’ mean age was 11.9 years old (SD = 0.70).

Methods: Latino students completed study measures online during the school day through a partnership with the Character Lab Research Network. Specifically, Latino students completed stereotype measures that included science interest and ability stereotypes involving their group and three other groups: Asian, Black, and White students; see Figure 1. Motivation measures included interest (2 items), sense of belonging (3 items), and ability self-concept (2 items); see Table 1.

Results: Latino students rated Asian students as having a higher science interest, F(3,262) = 4.05, p<.01, ηp2=.04, compared to their own group, and Black students. Similarly, Latino students rated Asian students as having a higher science ability (F(3,253) = 3.66, p<.05, ηp2=.04) than Black, and White students. In addition, Latino participants’ stereotypes about their own group’s interest and ability in science were significantly correlated with their own personal interest, sense of belonging, and ability self-concept in science, rs > .38, ps < .001. Furthermore, differences in stereotypes about science ability of Latino and Asian students were negatively correlated with Latino students’ own motivation, rs < -.16, ps < .01. Lastly, there were no significant differences in science ability and interest stereotypes between participant gender groups. These findings are the first to examine early adolescents’ racial-ethnic stereotypes about science interest and illustrate the importance of students’ stereotypes for the development of their own science motivation.

Authors

• Minh Hao Tran, University of Houston
  Presenting Author

• Jennifer Thompson, University of Houston

• Taylor Mikhail Alexander, University of Houston

• Weiwei Wu, University of Houston

• Allison Master, University of Houston

• Norma Olvera, University of Houston