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When I Look in the Mirror

Sitting at her small, tidy kitchen table as light streamed in through the dusty windows, I

sipped my childhood ice cream “coffee” and snacked on steaming samosas as my grandma

described her childhood and her journey to America. She recalled bolting around the bases in the

pounding Indian heat during daily street cricket games and whipping her makeshift wooden

racket to hit tennis balls over short brick walls, determined to always outplay the boys. But as

she grew close to the marrying age, the childhood games were replaced with work and the

expectations for her to find a man to marry. True to form, she was not one to follow these

cultural traditions that attempted to map out her life. She waited until the age of thirty, when her

mother hopefully, desperately, introduced her to a friend’s son and two weeks later my

grandmother was married. A short month later, she boarded a plane to California to join her new

husband who was working at UC Berkeley. She was expected to follow, and she finally did.

However, when she arrived in Berkeley, California, and my grandfather began his work

at UC Berkeley as a professor in herbal medicine, she immediately rejected the housewife

stereotype her family had imposed throughout her life and set out to work at a computer

company; she was accustomed to working alongside men. When that became monotonous, she

became the first woman to start a business in Berkeley by importing clothes and jewelry, and

eventually sold to large companies including Macy’s and Nordstrom.

I grew up listening to stories like that of my grandmother’s life and watched role models

such as my mom and her friends follow their passions in countless different fields and embrace

their occupations. I grew up without obligations to certain career paths and followed fleeting

passions of mine wholeheartedly, without any stress that they were not possible or that I was not

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the ​correct ​person for the job. My freedom to dream was only strengthened by these women

who have rejected cultural and gender roles after years of work and family strife. As a mixed

race Indian-European, my light skin has allowed me to enjoy both sides of my family’s cultures

without facing degrading stereotypes associated with my ethnicity. Living in the affluent suburb

of Walnut Creek and attending a school district with plenty of resources, I have been presented

with a plethora of opportunities to pursue those fleeting passions of mine. If my conditions were

different and I experienced negative stereotyping throughout my life, I often wonder if I would

still have the same interests, passions, and confidence in my abilities.

I distinctly remember a conversation I had with a group of girls at Oak Grove Middle

School through the program GOALS which I had co-founded. As we shared stories about our

home environment and relationships with our families, one girl named Ellie solemnly described

when her mom told her that she was destined to be a housewife or a cleaner. I was surprised that

these gender and cultural stereotypes were perpetuated in Ellie’s own home, and it made me

wonder how those sentiments impacted her motivation and performance in school. During

another conversation with the group, the girls described how fights took place every week and

often ended with middle schoolers in the emergency room. At my middle school just down the

street, there were rarely any fights, even though both schools share the same middle school

drama and disagreements. I discovered that the students at Oak Grove were actively endorsing

the stereotype that people of color in poorer areas are more aggressive and more likely to exhibit

behavioral issues (Lewis, et al.) without even knowing it. The contrast between this playing out

of stereotypes in young children and my grandmother’s response to her conditions makes me ask

the question: ​ ​How do stereotypes influence our actions and aspirations?

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The concept of “stereotype threat” was first coined by a Stanford professor named Claude

Steele in 1995 when he compared African American and white academic performance in a

situation that introduced negative stereotypes about race. Stereotype threat is the idea that “the

existence of such a stereotype means that anything one does or any of one’s features that

conform to it make the stereotype more plausible as a self-characterization in the eyes of others,

or even in one’s own eyes” (Aronson and Steele). This means that as people are introduced or

targeted by personal stereotypes, they begin to think of themselves in terms of their own

stereotypes. As Steele’s research notes in his book ​Whistling Vivaldi​:

By imposing on us certain conditions of life, our social identities can strongly affect

things as important as our performances in the classroom and on standardized tests, our

memory capacity, our athletic performance, the pressure we feel to prove ourselves, even

the comfort level we have with people of different groups - all things we typically think

of as being determined by individual talents, motivations, and preferences. (Steele 23)

For someone to be constrained by a stereotype threat doesn’t mean that they have to be actively

stereotyped, but instead, it is the “threat of possibly being judged and treated stereotypically, or

of possibly self-fulfilling such a stereotype” (Aronson and Steele) that can threaten someone’s

identity.

Stereotype threat can be so effective since it targets one’s vulnerable sense of self, but it

begs the question of why we care so much about what other people think. In

​ aron King
“Stereotype-Threats and Self-Perceptions: The Impact on College Students,”​ A

describes that identity development “involves an ability to update our self-concept based on the

information of others,” meaning that our personal passions and identities are mostly based on

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other people. An article on “Academic Race Stereotypes, Academic Self-Concept, and a Racial

Centrality in African American Youth,” explains how “in exploring who they are as individuals,

adolescents depend on cues from the social environment” and are “sometimes morbidly

preoccupied with what they appear to be in the eyes of others.” Thus, one’s character,

confidence, and integrity can be more influenced by society and its characterizations than we

may think. Steele describes how negative stereotypes sculpted his identity as an African

American seven or eight-year-old growing up in the 1950s when he was restricted from using the

local pool. He explains that he “recognized this condition of life - most important, a condition of

life tied to [his] race, to [his] being black in that time and place” (Steele 2), pointing out that he

was suddenly branded as “different” than others and had to accept that as his new reality. When

those like Steele have been given restrictions to what they can or cannot do, they suddenly have a

new perspective of what they mean to society and what they can accomplish in life. In fact,

students of colors are often faced with this identity crisis as they try to escape negative

stereotypes. In her article “Facing Identity Conflicts, Black Students Fall Behind,” Nancy

Solomon describes how while white children “get to pick from this huge array of personality

types, behaviors, authentic selves they can put on and take off...there is a challenge for black

children in terms of, when they go to the identity closet, how many options of what guise they

can put on and take off and still be considered authentically black.” This introduces difficulties

that children of color face as they try to embrace their ethnicity and cultural selves while at the

same time rejecting the negative stereotypes that target their groups. In a way, they have been

forced into a nearly impossible situation as they attempt to discern between the positive and

negative components of their identity. Thus, whether it be explicit discrimination from Steele’s

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experiences, negative stereotypes spawning from historic discrimination, or even snarky

comments such as those degrading women’s capabilities in the workplace or comparing a sacred

religion to terrorism on the playground, negative characterizations can distort people’s

self-perceptions and potential aspirations.

As people develop identities and identify with groups that represent a certain trait of

theirs, they can also feel partly responsible for that group’s reputation which adds extra stress

that can harm their academic and social performance. Even though people can draw strength and

support from these groups, this is often paired with negative stereotypes that “convey that people

are being judged by their group membership and not by their individual merits” (MacBride).

Those who identify with certain social groups are often pressured to “represent [themselves] and

[their] social group in a positive manner” (King). Thus, in a situation that tests their capability

when a specific stereotype is relevant, people can be fully aware that their actions can endorse a

stereotype made about the group they represent, inhibiting potential skill. For instance, in a

study where middle-class black students have the same performance levels in elementary school

as their white counterparts (Solomon), there is evidence that suggests that the immense disparity

between black and white students in test scores at older ages is not simply caused by different

levels of preparation between the two groups, but from the extra weight of upholding negative

stereotypes (Aronson and Steele). When taking a test to measure intellectual ability, regardless

of whether or not black students believe the stereotypes regarding their race, students who fear

that they will confirm a stereotype about a skill they value have a testing situation “loaded with

an extra degree of self-threat, a degree not borne by people not stereotyped in this way”

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(Aronson and Steele). Black students’ performance on tests becomes linked to their race and

they work to prove a stereotype wrong instead of simply taking a test of intelligence.

There is also a physical reaction to being aware of stereotypes. Assistant professors of

the University of Arizona Psychology Department Toni Schmader and Jeff Stone note how

reminders of negative stereotypes inhibit academic performance by temporarily decreasing

people’s working memory capacity which is “integral to concentrating attention on a task…. as

decreases in working memory capacity interfere with the ability to solve complex problems like

the ones found on most standardized tests.” Thus, in tests that might trigger reminders of

negative stereotypes about a certain group, performance can be inhibited by this social pressure

(Hilton and Hippel). Patrick Gargiulo, an elementary school psychologist and the Director of

Student Services in Lafayette School District, sheds light on the “fight or flight” human tendency

in his point that “students either lapse into behavioral issues such as fighting or simply refuse to

come to school” in response to being targeted by other kids. He explained that “the kids suffer

from a lot of self-esteem and self-concept issues, so when they feel like they are being bullied,

many of them just shut down.” In addition, a study conducted in Belgium secondary schools

between random samples of Muslim adolescents and their majority group peers further sheds

light on this instinctive human reaction to attacks on one’s identity when it contrasted an

experimental group, where the students answered questions about ethnicity and religion, with a

control group before taking a performance exam. The test confirmed that “minority students in

the experimentally manipulated stereotype-threat condition were more likely to disengage, which

in turn had a negative impact on their performance” (Baysu). In this experiment, simple

reminders of negative stereotypes that could potentially arise from ethnic and religious

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conversations were enough to inhibit performance on a test. On the other hand, instead of

influencing people to shut down, stereotypes can also cause people to conform to their labels and

even participate in degrading behavior. In fact, “people can feel disrespected and expect unfair

treatment from others when they feel they are being viewed through the lens of a stereotype. This

leads them to defy or undermine group norms” (MacBride) which can lead to violence or

criminal activity. If any person feels that the system is inherently set against them because of

their identity, or something that they don’t have much control over, then they often lose

motivation or resort to detrimental behavior.

In addition to stereotype threat creating notable disparities amongst minority groups, it is

also very prevalent in bolstering gender roles in the workplace, specifically influencing women

to shy away from job positions that are historically held by men. Many are aware of the national

effort to increase women representation in STEM fields, yet statistics from the National Girls

Collaborative Project nevertheless affirm that “while women receive over half of the bachelor’s

degrees awarded in the biological sciences, they receive far fewer in the computer sciences

(17.9%), engineering (19.3%), physical sciences (39%) and mathematics (43.1%)” (“Statistics”).

In fact, the Girls Scout Association explains that “girls are typically more interested in careers

where they can help others (e.g., teaching, child care, working with animals) and make the world

a better place.” For many, those statistics are not surprising as much of the public has become

accustomed to this gender gap in STEM. But this disparity “may be a product of older

stereotypes about girls doing poorly in math, or of low confidence in their abilities” (Girl Scout

Research). A document on “Academic Procrastination in STEM” highlights that due to the

diverse factors that can create stereotype threats, such as being in a male-dominated class or

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working alongside posters of renowned male scientists, “there is widespread agreement that a

stereotype-threatening intellectual environment can mask a woman's true ability, leaving her

with the perception that she does not have the skills needed to succeed” (Deemer, et al.). On the

other hand, stereotype threats can also enforce social stigmas on men. Doctor Mary Staunton, a

lead psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente describes how amongst the patients she treats, most of

which suffer from anxiety or depression, “men are much less likely to come in for treatment and

thus are more often at a worse stage in their disorder by the time they seek help, which can stem

from certain cultural values and social environments that discourage men from seeking help

when they need it.” The trend that Staunton witnesses in men can be attributed to gender roles

that stigmatize men by making them less comfortable with asking for help, which in this case,

detriments their health.

When stereotype threats have been cultivated by rigid social values and stereotypes that

have lasted for decades, what can possibly be done to limit their impact? King’s

research stresses that self-esteem is a key component of our identity development and that

“educators should work to retrain students to build positive self-perceptions based on processes

(e.g., learning or improvement) or internal factors (e.g., virtue) rather than performance.” As

emphasized by King, educators can play a prominent role to help students struggling with

identity issues, from being aware of potentially threatening situations and stereotypes to

recognizing skills in students separate from their actual performance on tests or exams. The

article “Think of the Brain as a Muscle” by Charles Q. Choi underlines the difference between

maintaining a “fixed mindset” where “intelligence is equated with worth” in contrast to having a

“growth mindset” where mistakes seem less detrimental because the person believes intelligence

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can grow and develop. In an experiment between two groups of students who did poorly in

math, the experimental group that participated in a class that taught how the brain was always

growing and it is up to the person to ​choose ​to improve intelligence did significantly better

on a performance test than the control group. Moreover, Staunton noted that people develop a

“stereotype lens that begins with what they learn at home and in their immediate environments,

and those with trauma in this environment have an inhibited sense of agency in the world.” This

mentality can be diffused by infusing the concept within individuals that we are in full control of

our capabilities, intelligence, and skill. Aside from school campuses, Schmader and Stone of UA

explain that “teaching women about stereotype threat and its potential negative effects on test

performance might actually arm women with a means of defusing the threat” (“UA News”).

With stereotype threats being such a complicated, underlying cause for the social disparities that

plague our society, it is worthwhile to call more attention to this issue to uplift those that can be

affected by stereotype threat while also influencing educators and the work world to

accommodate people’s needs.

As humans, we have a lot invested in our personal narrative. The identity that we nourish

and build over our lifetimes can give us a sense of purpose and individuality. Yet, it is a mistake

to think that there are not stereotypes about at least one of the groups we identify with.

Stereotypes play a strikingly important role in how society portrays groups of people, and how

those individuals see themselves. We can be affected in ways that we may not even notice, such

as when stereotype threats create a fear of confirming a stereotype or the pressure of representing

one’s group in a positive manner, that can impact our personal, social, and work performance.

As Mary Staunton stated, “Life is hard; there are going to be things that aren’t in our control, and

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it is up to each of us to define what is meaningful and choose to work at it every day.” These

words of wisdom acknowledge that the playing field is not as even as we may like to think, and

we are ultimately given the choice to take control of what we can in the face of social stigmas

and stereotypes. Nevertheless, schools and workplaces need to prioritize helping individuals

balance their cultural, religious, gender, and other identities with their professional world and

embrace their personal capabilities and the prospect of growth rather than dwell on group

characterizations. Our social identities can and should be a tool rather than a hindrance.

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Works Cited

Aronson, Joshua, and Claude Steele. “Attitudes and Social Cognition” ​Stereotype Threat and the

​ merican Psychological
Intellectual Test Performance of African Americans. A

Association, Inc, 18 May 1995.

Baysu, Gulseli. “Stereotyping Affects School Engagement.” ​BOLD,​ 2 July 2018,

bold.expert/stereotyping-affects-school-engagement/.

Choi, Charles Q. “Smart Strategy: Think of the Brain as a Muscle.” ​LiveScience,​ Purch, 8 Feb.

2007, ​www.livescience.com/4336-smart-strategy-brain-muscle.html​.

Deemer, Eric D., et al. "Academic procrastination in stem: interactive effects of stereotype threat

and achievement goals." ​Career Development Quarterly​, June 2014, p. 143+. ​Student

Resources In Context,​

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A372028363/SUIC?u=wal55317&sid=SUIC&xid=249d

5104. Accessed 7 Mar. 2019.

Gargiulo, Patrick. Licensed Psychologist and Director of Student Services for Lafayette School

District. Personal Interview. 24 February 2019.

Girl Scout Research Institute. ​Generation STEM: What Girls Say About Science, Technology,

Engineering, and Math.​

www.girlscouts.org/join/educators/generation_stem_full_report.pdf​.

Hilton, James L., and William von Hippel. "Stereotypes." ​Annual Review of Psychology,​ vol. 47,

1996, p. 237+. ​Student Resources In Context,​

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A18014714/SUIC?u=wal55317&sid=SUIC&xid=365c1

d68. Accessed 11 Mar. 2019.

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King, Aaron M. ​Stereotype Threat and Self-Perceptions: The Impact on College Students​. NYU,

2011, Stereotype Threat and Self-Perceptions: The Impact on College Students.

Lewis, Kendra M, et al. “Problem Behavior and Urban, Low Income Youth.” ​US National

Library of Medicine National Institute of Health,​

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3723403/​.

MacBride, Elizabeth. “Stereotyping Makes People More Likely to Act Badly.” ​Stanford

Graduate School of Business​,

www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/stereotyping-makes-people-more-likely-act-badly​.

Rowling , Stephanie J, and Ndidi Okeke. “Academic Race Stereotypes, Academic Self-Concept,

and Racial Centrality in African American Youth.” ​US National Library of Medicine

National Institutes of Health,​ PMU, Aug. 2009,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2901128/.

Solomon, Nancy. “Facing Identity Conflicts, Black Students Fall Behind.” ​NPR,​ NPR, 31 Oct.

2009, www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114327591.

“Statistics.” ​Statistics | National Girls Collaborative Project,​ ngcproject.org/statistics.

Steele, Claude M. ​Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do​. W.W.

Norton & Company, 2011.

Staunton, Mary. Licensed psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente. Personal Interview. 10 March 2019.

UA News Services. “Exploring the Negative Consequences of Stereotyping.” ​UANews,​ 19 Feb.

2018, uanews.arizona.edu/story/exploring-negative-consequences-stereotyping.

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