The Varying Effects of Stereotype Threat, Lift, and Priming on Cognitive Performance

Abstract

Performance on tests, especially standardized tests, plays a major role in shaping educational and life outcomes. The present research builds on the stereotype threat, stereotype lift, and stereotype priming literatures to work towards a better understanding of how stereotypes affect cognitive performance. While many researchers have assumed that explicit stereotype-induced shifts in cognitive performance, like stereotype threat and stereotype lift, and implicit stereotype-induced shifts in performance, like stereotype priming, are just different versions of the same effect, the two experiments reported on here suggest that they operate through different mechanisms. Our results also suggest that the effects on performance of both explicit and implicit stereotype activation are dependent on the social identity of the individual. We discuss our findings in the context of previous research on this topic. Keywords: stereotype threat, stereotype lift, stereotype priming, cognitive performance, working memory