How television commercials that elicit stereotype threat can restrain women academically and professionally. Flashcards
What is the main focus of the Davies et al. (2002) study?
The study explores how television commercials that activate stereotype threat can negatively affect women’s academic and professional performance.
What is stereotype threat?
Stereotype threat refers to the psychological phenomenon where individuals fear confirming negative stereotypes about their social group, which can impair performance in areas related to those stereotypes.
How can stereotype threat impact women?
Women, when exposed to negative gender stereotypes (such as women being less competent in science or leadership roles), may experience anxiety, which undermines their academic and professional performance.
What was the role of television commercials in the study?
The study examined how commercials that either reinforced or challenged gender stereotypes could activate stereotype threat in women and affect their performance on tasks related to those stereotypes.
What was the key finding of the study regarding stereotype threat in TV commercials?
Commercials that portrayed women in traditional, stereotypical roles (e.g., homemakers, dependent) activated stereotype threat, reducing women’s performance on math tests and in professional settings.
How did stereotype threat affect women’s performance?
Women who were exposed to stereotypical portrayals of women in commercials performed worse academically and had lower confidence in their abilities compared to those who were not exposed to such stereotypes.
What were the key psychological mechanisms at play in the study?
Stereotype threat led to cognitive overload (worrying about confirming stereotypes) and reduced self-esteem, which interfered with women’s ability to focus and perform well on tests or in professional tasks.
What kind of commercials were used in the experiment?
The study used commercials that depicted women in either stereotypical roles (e.g., caring for children, cleaning) or non-stereotypical roles (e.g., working in leadership or scientific positions).
What were the gender-related stereotypes the commercials reinforced?
he commercials reinforced gender stereotypes such as women being less competent in mathematics, leadership, or professional fields, which are traditionally associated with male superiority in these areas.
How did stereotype threat influence women’s self-perception?
Exposure to stereotypical commercials caused women to feel they were being judged based on negative stereotypes, which reduced their self-efficacy and led to self-doubt in academic and professional tasks.
What was the impact of non-stereotypical commercials on women?
Commercials that presented women in non-stereotypical roles (such as professionals or leaders) helped reduce stereotype threat, allowing women to perform better and feel more confident in their academic and professional abilities.
How does the concept of stereotype threat extend beyond television commercials?
The concept of stereotype threat can apply to many social contexts, including classrooms, workplaces, and sports, where people might fear confirming negative stereotypes about their social group, leading to lower performance and psychological stress.
What is the broader social implication of Davies et al.’s study?
The study suggests that media portrayals, especially those reinforcing negative gender stereotypes, can influence women’s behavior and limit their success in areas where these stereotypes exist, like in academics and professional life.
What are the implications of this study for media producers?
The study suggests that media producers have a responsibility to avoid reinforcing harmful stereotypes and should create more empowering representations of women, especially in fields like STEM, leadership, and professional roles.
How can we reduce the impact of stereotype threat in real-world settings?
Interventions such as affirmation exercises, positive role models, and counter-stereotypical portrayals in media can help reduce stereotype threat and enhance women’s performance and confidence in academic and professional settings.
