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Perfectionism moderates stereotype threat effects on STEM majors' academic performance
Kenneth G Rice1, Frederick G Lopez, Clarissa M E Richardson
1Department of Counseling and Psychological Services, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302-3980, USA. kgr1@gsu.edu
Journal of Counseling Psychology
|March 6, 2013
Summary
Self-critical perfectionism influences how stereotype threat affects women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields. It impacts science self-efficacy and academic performance, especially in mixed-gender courses.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Sociology of Science
Background:
- Stereotype threat (ST) can negatively impact performance for individuals in stigmatized groups.
- Perfectionism, particularly self-critical perfectionism, may alter responses to ST.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for supporting diverse students in STEM.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if self-critical perfectionism moderates the effects of subtle ST on women and underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in STEM.
- To examine the impact of ST on science self-efficacy and academic performance.
- To explore the interplay of ST, sex, race/ethnicity, and self-critical perfectionism on STEM outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, between-subjects experimental design with 294 diverse freshmen students.
- Participants were assigned to subtle ST or no ST conditions.
- Measures included science self-efficacy, STEM grades, and self-critical perfectionism, controlling for prior academic performance.
Main Results:
- ST priming interacted with self-critical perfectionism to predict coping self-efficacy.
- ST priming interacted with race/ethnicity to predict end-of-semester STEM grades.
- A three-way interaction of ST, sex, and self-critical perfectionism affected grades in proportionally represented courses, with differential effects for men and women based on perfectionism levels.
Conclusions:
- Self-critical perfectionism plays a significant moderating role in the relationship between ST and STEM outcomes.
- The findings highlight the complex interactions influencing self-efficacy and performance for diverse STEM students.
- Implications for interventions aimed at mitigating ST and supporting student success in STEM majors.
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