Challenges Students Face: Discrimination and Stereotype Threat 4/6/2018 Challenges Students Face: Discrimination and Stereotype Threat Cyndi Kernahan Professor of Psychology and Assistant Dean for Teaching and Learning, UW‐River Falls Retention and Graduation Rates

Outcomes: Degree or Certificate Completion by Race 4/6/2018 Outcomes: Degree or Certificate Completion by Race 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 Overall White Asian Hispanic Black Shapiro, Dundar, Huie, Wakhungu, Yuan, Nathan, & Hwang (2017) Outcomes: Bachelors Degree by Generational Status 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% First Gen Cont Gen National Center for Education Statistics, 2017

Outcomes: Bachelors Degree by Disability Status 4/6/2018 Outcomes: Bachelors Degree by Disability Status •Overall, 6‐year graduation rate: 59% •Students with a Disability: 41% White et al., 2016 Experiences and Feelings Differ

What Students Say UW Eau Claire Black Student Alliance 4/6/2018 UW Eau Claire Black Student Alliance What Students Say •Implicit biases in class •Surprised by black male student ability •Assume all Asian students are the same •Lack of diversity in curriculum •Instructor inaction when others are biased •Message: you do not belong here Harper and Davis, 2016

Does this bring any examples to mind? 4/6/2018 What Students Feel •Increased, not decreased sensitivity over time (cumulative stress burden) •African Americans report the most discrimination followed by Hispanic and Asian Americans •More discrimination=greater negativity, depression, and anxiety Cokley et al., 2017; Suarez‐Orozco, Casanova, Martin, Katsiaficus, Cuellar, Smith, & Dias, 2015; Sue, 2015; Wang, Leu, & Shoda, 2011 Does this bring any examples to mind? Are there particular student groups that concern you?

4/6/2018 More negative experiences (or the threat of them) = Less belonging and underachievement relative to ability •Students of Color •First Generation Students •Low Income Students •Women in some majors/programs •Students with disabilities Stereotype Threat

“...he had a 3.7 GPA, a chemistry major...” 4/6/2018 “...he had a 3.7 GPA, a chemistry major...” Jonathan Ferrell's Death and Stereotype Threat Stereotype Threat‐Bias in the Air  •Fear that you are conforming to a negative stereotype •You do not have to believe the stereotype •Can occur to anyone in a group •Most dangerous for those with the most negative beliefs attached to them Cottom, 2013; Steele, 2010

Stereotype Threat‐Example Study 4/6/2018 Across Social Groups •Situational interaction between some part of your identity and environment Race Gender Social Class Body Size Religion Disability •Other examples: •The “Tech guy” •The “Adjunct” •The “curly haired Lesbian” Stereotype Threat‐Example Study Steele and Aronson, 1995

Large and Continuing Area of Study 4/6/2018 Large and Continuing Area of Study More than 300 studies •Women doing math •Older people and memory •White men, doing math, compared to Asian men Pennington, Helm, Levy and Larkin, 2016 What is happening? •Increased Physiological Stress Response •Increased Performance Monitoring/Threat Scanning •Reduced Attention/Working Memory Too many background programs Steele, 2010; Schmader, 2010

Short Term Consequences 4/6/2018 Short Term Consequences •Lower performance •Underperforming with respect to ability •Cognitive tests •Math tests •Memory tests •Physical performance Long Term (slow) consequences •Distancing and Dis‐Identification •(I’m not a person) •Study of long‐term blind • More fear of confirming stereotypes, more withdrawal from wider world Why? Lower feelings of self‐worth so that I get my self‐worth elsewhere Silverman and Cohen, 2014; Steele, 2010

Key Points •Not about a Lack of Effort 4/6/2018 Key Points •Not about a Lack of Effort •Not about a Need to Boost Confidence •this can backfire… •Is a lack of trust in the Environment Some groups experience discrimination and a chilly climate Lose trust and belonging‐stereotype threat Underachievement and Disidentification (lower graduation and persistence)