This study examined the role of autonomy support (AS) in the relationship between stereotype threat (ST) and performance on a subset of the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (RSPM) using a 2 x 2 factorial design. It was hypothesized that: 1. There would be significantly fewer correct answers in ST conditions compared to non-ST conditions, 2. There would be a significantly higher number of correct answers in AS conditions compared to non-AS conditions, 3.The relationship between ST conditions and performance would be moderated by AS conditions 206 African American college students from a mid-sized Midwestern university participated in the study. Performance, measured by the overall number of correct items answered from a set of 14 problems from the RSPM and also difficult and easy subsets of these problems, was the dependent variable and participants also completed a survey. Participants in ST conditions performed better than those in non-ST conditions. There was no difference in performance for participants in AS and non-AS conditions. High academic identified participants in AS conditions performed significantly better than similar participants in non-AS conditions on all items. Low academic identified participants in ST conditions performed better than those in non-ST conditions, only on easy items. These results provide information on the role of AS and item difficulty in stereotype threat situations.

Although some descriptions of stereotypes about drivers are documented in the literature, the specific behaviours representing these stereotypes have not been previously explored. In addition to identifying specific behaviours associated with stereotypes about female drivers, this thesis looks at the way that these stereotypes may be affected by the age of the stereotyped driver. Furthermore, a debate exists in the field of social psychology about whether the awareness of these stereotypes affects the performance of drivers from the stereotyped groups through the phenomenon known as stereotype threat. This thesis explores these topics through a series of three studies. In the first study, participants watched videos illustrating a variety of driving behaviours and indicated whether the driver was more likely to be male or female. In the second study, participants were told to imagine male and female drivers of different ages approaching a car, and the participants were asked to indicate which driver was more likely to take the wheel of the car and whether that driver was the safer of the two. In the third study, which consisted of two experiments, female participants were invited to complete several driving scenarios in a driving simulator. The first of the two experiments had two conditions: stereotype threat and neutral; the second experiment had an enhanced stereotype threat and a counterstereotype condition. The findings of the first study elucidated the specific behaviours that are stereotypically associated with male and female drivers. The second study showed that in many ways, driving is still considered to be a man’s prerogative, since men were frequently rated as more likely to drive and safer drivers than women. The results of the third study showed that the effects of these stereotypes on drivers can be difficult to detect using the stereotype threat paradigm in a driving simulator environment. Although stereotypes about male and female drivers from different age groups are still prevalent, their effects on the behaviour of the drivers from the stereotyped groups may be elusive and hard to reproduce in a simulated driving context.

This study was conducted to examine the impact of various social comparisons on stereotype threat for Black college students attending predominantly White colleges and universities (PWCUs). Additionally, explored was whether the student's Black racial identity would moderate the relationship between social comparison and academic achievement. Social comparison theory posits that to gain an accurate self-evaluation, individuals compare themselves to others who are similar; therefore, for Black college students attending PWCUs their comparison is most likely to occur with White students. Stereotype threat is being at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about one's group membership. Participants were 144 self-identified Black college students (including bi-and multiracially identified individuals), currently enrolled in college in the U.S. Data were collected in four phases, with the fourth phase utilizing a participant panel. The study was available for 7 months and was self-administered online through a popular survey software. Participants completed self-report measures, read statistics from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), completed two academic tasks, and viewed a slideshow presentation of images. Data patterns were similar for the White and neutral conditions and were similar for the matched minority and unmatched minority conditions; therefore, participants in the White comparison condition and neutral condition were grouped together to form one subordinate group (i.e., racial nonminority intervention group), and participants in the racially matched and unmatched minority comparison conditions were grouped together to form another subordinate group (i.e., racial minority intervention group). Results indicated a statistically significant effect for time by condition, F(1,142) = 4.776, p = .030, partial n2 = .033, with the racial nonminority group showing a greater impact on stereotype threat. Stereotype threat was positively impacted at a rate greater for the racial nonminority group than for the racial minority group.

Sexual minorities are the target of numerous negative stereotypes in the United States, and are sometimes perceived as deviant and devalued as compared to heterosexuals. Stereotype threat, the anxiety of confirming a negative stereotype about oneself or one's group, has been linked to perceived stress; and stress has been linked to low job satisfaction. Sexual minorities provide a unique test of stereotype threat theory because they may choose to conceal their minority status at work. Thus, this study also examines whether the visibility of the stigma is a necessary precursor to the experience of stereotype threat. Given the uniqueness of this population, a new and presumably more comprehensive model of stereotype threat (the Multi-Threat Framework) was also examined to ensure that stereotype threat was being adequately measured by examining every possible type of stereotype threat. Job satisfaction has been linked to many organizational outcomes such as poor performance, absenteeism, and turnover intentions; thus, it is important to examine predictors of low job satisfaction. Thus, the current study tested perceived stress as a mediator between stereotype threat and low job satisfaction in a sample of 150 sexual minorities who were employed full time. Internalized homophobia was predicted to moderate the relation between stereotype threat and perceived stress. Results indicated support for the moderated mediation model using only the traditional measure of stereotype threat; that is, stereotype threat predicted low job satisfaction through job stress. Moreover, at high levels of internalized homophobia, individuals reported high job stress, regardless of levels of experienced stereotype threat. However, those with low internalized homophobia reported high job stress only when stereotype threat was high. No differences were found with regards to degree of concealing, suggesting that the deleterious effects of high stereotype threat on job stress occurred regardless of whether participants were concealing. Additionally, the moderated mediation model was not supported when measured using the new Multi-Threat Framework, suggesting that the measure may not be measuring the same construct as the traditional measure. Finally, results suggest that stereotype threat added significant incremental validity in predicting job dissatisfaction over perceived discrimination. These findings, in total, suggest that stereotype threat is a valuable construct for predicting negative work outcomes for stigmatized individuals. Implications for improving the work lives of sexual minorities were discussed.

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