Resilience and Stereotype Threat: An Examination of Math Performance and Self-Efficacy in Men and Women

The under-representation of women in STEM fields is a serious problem, but one possible explanation is the concept of stereotype threat. Stereotype threat results in one’s belief of confirming a negative stereotype about one’s group and impacts cognitive performance. Exposure to stereotypes about women not performing as well in math and science as men can result in under performance of women in these tasks. This current study examines stereotype threat on math performance in relation to gender, resiliency, gender-based rejection sensitivity, and selfefficacy. It is hypothesized highly resilient women will have better scores than those who are not as resilient. In addition, it is predicted resilient women will have similar scores as the women who are not primed with gender. Participants will be placed in one of two groups; one group will mark their gender before taking the test, the control group will not. Participants will be presented with 10 moderately difficult math questions and then be measured on resilience, gender-based rejection sensitivity, and self-efficacy. Results are expected to show a connection between better test scores under stereotype threat with resilient women. Future research should examine additional factors in connection with stereotypes and resilience for women in STEM fields