Converging evidence that stereotype threat reduces working memory capacity.

TLDR

Although research has shown that priming negative stereotypes leads to lower performance among stigmatized individuals, little is understood about the cognitive mechanism that accounts for these effects. The study tests whether stereotype threat impairs test performance by reducing working memory capacity. Three experiments examined this hypothesis by manipulating stereotype threat and measuring working memory capacity. Results show that priming negative stereotypes lowers working memory capacity in women and Latinos, and that this reduction mediates the stereotype threat effect on women's math performance.

Abstract

Although research has shown that priming negative stereotypes leads to lower performance among stigmatized individuals, little is understood about the cognitive mechanism that accounts for these effects. Three experiments tested the hypothesis that stereotype threat interferes with test performance because it reduces individuals' working memory capacity. Results show that priming self-relevant negative stereotypes reduces women's (Experiment 1) and Latinos' (Experiment 2) working memory capacity. The final study revealed that a reduction in working memory capacity mediates the effect of stereotype threat on women's math performance (Experiment 3). Implications for future research on stereotype threat and working memory are discussed.