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Sex Roles (2012) 66:175183 DOI 10.1007/s11199-011-0051-0
FEMINIST FORUM
The Role of Stereotype Threats in Undermining Girls and Womens Performance and Interest in STEM Fields
Jenessa R. Shapiro & Amy M. Williams
Published online: 31 July 2011# Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011
Abstract In the present manuscript we draw on the Multi-Threat Framework to explore gender-related math attitudes and how they put girls and women at risk for stereotype threats. Gunderson et al. (2011) detail how negative stereotypes about womens math abilities are transmitted to girls by their parents and teachers, shaping girls math attitudes and ultimately undermining performance and interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The social psychological phenomenon of stereotype threat complements this approach and demonstrates the additional ways in which gender-related math attitudes undermine girls and womens interest and performance in STEM domains. Considering the phenomenon of stereotype threat also identifies how stereotypes and other gender-related math attitudes can undermine womens and girls interest and performance in STEM domains even when women and girls have positive math attitudes.
Keywords Multi-Threat Framework . Stereotype threat . Gender stereotypes . Math attitudes . STEM
Introduction
In the target article, Gunderson et al. (2011) provide an excellent review of how negative stereotypes about womens
math abilities are transmitted to girls by their parents and teachersas early as preschool and elementary school shaping girls math attitudes and ultimately undermining performance and interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Gunderson and colleagues approach offers a number of important avenues for future research to better understand girls and womens gender-related math attitudes and to develop interventions that protect against reduced interest and performance in STEM fields. This is clearly an important set of research questions with a very fruitful direction for future research. Here we address a complementary line of researchthe social psychological phenomenon of stereotype threat. The integration of stereotype threat research with the target article helps to illuminate the reach of gender-related math attitudes and their role in undermining girls and womens interest and performance in STEM domains. Specifically, considering the phenomenon of stereotype threat can lead to an understanding of how stereotypes can undermine womens and girls performance and interest in STEM domains even when women and girls have positive...