| Previous research has found that making identities associated with positive stereotypes salient boosts academic performance (Shih, Pittinsky & Ambady, 1999). This dissertation offers a framework within which this phenomenon could be examined more closely. Specifically, the role of three factors—the social context, the salience manipulation, and the person—in determining whether or not the salience of a positive stereotype would boost performance was investigated. Four issues were addressed in these investigations: (1) whether it was the stereotype or the identity, per se, that was improving performance, (2) whether positive stereotypes improved performance when individuals were aware that they were being stereotyped, (3) whether, when one was aware of being stereotyped, it was better to be positively stereotyped than to be negatively or neutrally stereotyped, and finally, (4) whether positive stereotypes could boost the performance of people who were not the targets of the stereotype.;It was found that changing the social context in which an identity was activated altered the performance outcome. Activating an identity in a social context in which the identity was maladaptive hurt performance while activating the same identity in a social context in which it was adaptive boosted performance. These results indicated that it was the stereotype and not the identity, per se, that was boosting performance. Second, it was found that while making an identity associated with a positive stereotype salient boosted performance, making the actual content of the stereotype salient hurt performance. Therefore, it seems that positive stereotypes only boost performance when they are implicit in the background. Third, it was found that if stereotypes were made salient, it was better to be stereotyped in a positive direction, than in a negative or neutral direction. Finally, it was found that positive stereotypes improved the performance of both individuals who were the targets and individuals who were not the targets of the stereotype. Potential mediating processes as well as theoretical and practical implications are discussed. |
