Status
Available
Collection
Publication
W. W. Norton & Company (2011), Edition: Reprint, 256 pages
Description
In this work, the author, a social psychologist, addresses one of the most perplexing social issues of our time: the trend of minority underperformance in higher education. With strong evidence showing that the problem involves more than weaker skills, he explores other explanations. Here he presents an insider's look at his research and details his groundbreaking findings on stereotypes and identity, findings that will deeply alter the way we think about ourselves, our abilities, and our relationships with each other. Through dramatic personal stories, he shares the researcher's experience of peering beneath the surface of our ordinary social lives to reveal what it is like to be stereotyped based on our gender, age, race, class, or any of the ways by which we culturally classify one another. What he discovers is that this experience of "stereotype threat" can profoundly affect our functioning: undermining our performance, causing emotional and physiological reactions, and affecting our career and relationship choices. But because these threats, though little recognized, are near-daily and life-shaping for all of us, the shared experience of them can help bring Americans closer together. Always aware of the ways that identity plays out in the lives of real people, his conclusions shed new light on a host of American social phenomena, from the racial gender gaps in test scores to the belief in the superior athletic prowess of black men. In a time of renewed discourse about race and class, this work offers insight into how we form our sense of self, and lays out a plan that will both reduce the negative effects of "stereotype threat" and begin reshaping American identities. -- From book jacket.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jnwelch
Women worry about the stereotype that men are better at math. African-Americans worry about the stereotype of lesser academic achievement. Whites worry about the stereotype of lesser athletic ability, or that Asians supposedly are better at math. Men going into an empathetic profession worry about
"There is truly inspirational news here: evidence that often small, feasible things done to reduce these threats in schools and classrooms can dramatically reduce the racial and gender achievement gaps that so discouragingly characterize our society."
I found this book absolutely fascinating. It discloses truths that get lost under unreasoning and misleading emotion, provides insights and information I never would have thought of, and demonstrates the healthy effects of the kinds of "small, feasible things" he mentions on people's performances in their preferred fields, and on their relating to each other. I'm grateful to Ellen for her great review of this book. It deserves widespread attention.
Something as simple as reminding "test takers of identities that counter the relevant stereotype" before a test has been shown to have a significant positive, measurable impact on test results. The one requisite: the person must care about his/her performance. We also learn that anxiety over stereotype threats actually activates non-performing parts of the brain - it literally causes the brain to use its capabilities in a non-productive way. And we'll virtually all claim, and believe, that we're not experiencing that anxiety when, in fact, we are.
Counseling in certain ways can cause dramatic change; expressing company policy in certain ways can make even a non-diverse company attractive to diverse candidates. Whites who are unconsciously chary of discussing racial issues with blacks become more open (and physically move their chairs closer!) when the exchange is framed as a learning experience. (Other positive framing cues didn't work, but that did).
This is an important book, and it's heartening that the studies described are being conducted all over the world, with results continuing to confirm the insights and productive strategies described by Claude Steele.
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stereotypes of lesser empathy. And so on. Social psycologist Claude Steele calls these stereotype threats, and just the anxiety they create can severely impede performance, as confirmed in a truckload of social experiments."There is truly inspirational news here: evidence that often small, feasible things done to reduce these threats in schools and classrooms can dramatically reduce the racial and gender achievement gaps that so discouragingly characterize our society."
I found this book absolutely fascinating. It discloses truths that get lost under unreasoning and misleading emotion, provides insights and information I never would have thought of, and demonstrates the healthy effects of the kinds of "small, feasible things" he mentions on people's performances in their preferred fields, and on their relating to each other. I'm grateful to Ellen for her great review of this book. It deserves widespread attention.
Something as simple as reminding "test takers of identities that counter the relevant stereotype" before a test has been shown to have a significant positive, measurable impact on test results. The one requisite: the person must care about his/her performance. We also learn that anxiety over stereotype threats actually activates non-performing parts of the brain - it literally causes the brain to use its capabilities in a non-productive way. And we'll virtually all claim, and believe, that we're not experiencing that anxiety when, in fact, we are.
Counseling in certain ways can cause dramatic change; expressing company policy in certain ways can make even a non-diverse company attractive to diverse candidates. Whites who are unconsciously chary of discussing racial issues with blacks become more open (and physically move their chairs closer!) when the exchange is framed as a learning experience. (Other positive framing cues didn't work, but that did).
This is an important book, and it's heartening that the studies described are being conducted all over the world, with results continuing to confirm the insights and productive strategies described by Claude Steele.
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LibraryThing member EBT1002
This should be required reading for every educator in the U.S. and perhaps beyond. Steele, an eminent social psychologist at Stanford University (now at UC-Berkeley), described his research into stereotype thread and its impact on students' performance in a variety of situations. While much of the
He offers ways to address stereotype threat such as encouraging students engaging in intercultural dialogue to adopt a learning attitude, and teachers can create this by using learning objectives and clearly stating that learning IS the objective (reassuring students that they won't be judged based on stereotypes about their group has no positive impact at all), and that mistakes are to be expected. He also outlines some implications for mentors as well as for educational institutions for minimizing the cues that activate stereotype threat for students in negatively stereotyped groups.
And remember, this varies on context -- as a white woman I am vulnerable to stereotype threat based on my gender in some but not all situations and this depends, in part, on which of my identities is made salient in a particular situation.
I listened to this as an audiobook and found it engaging, thought-provoking, and enjoyable. I also recommend it for anyone interested in the process of social psychological research as the descriptions of the experiments and the thinking that surrounded them was fascinating and took me back to my early graduate school days.
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research focuses on the impact of stereotype threat on women in math-related fields and African-Americans in academic settings more broadly, I appreciated that some of his team's research has focused on the affect of stereotype threat on white students faced with interacting with black students regarding a racially-charged topic. The white students are also subject to stereotype threat in their desire not to be judged as racially insensitive; this confirms the broad applicability of the research without undermining the observation that, on average, it is not white students who face adverse identity contingencies in academic settings on a day-to-day basis. He offers ways to address stereotype threat such as encouraging students engaging in intercultural dialogue to adopt a learning attitude, and teachers can create this by using learning objectives and clearly stating that learning IS the objective (reassuring students that they won't be judged based on stereotypes about their group has no positive impact at all), and that mistakes are to be expected. He also outlines some implications for mentors as well as for educational institutions for minimizing the cues that activate stereotype threat for students in negatively stereotyped groups.
And remember, this varies on context -- as a white woman I am vulnerable to stereotype threat based on my gender in some but not all situations and this depends, in part, on which of my identities is made salient in a particular situation.
I listened to this as an audiobook and found it engaging, thought-provoking, and enjoyable. I also recommend it for anyone interested in the process of social psychological research as the descriptions of the experiments and the thinking that surrounded them was fascinating and took me back to my early graduate school days.
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LibraryThing member J.Davidson
The first sentence of the acknowledgements set me up for what I anticipated to be a rather brutal read. When Steele prefaced the entire work with the idea that scientists are made to create articles rather than books, I predicted that the work would present significant challenges to this quite
Because the book deals with these threats and contingencies being so engrained into the individual, I really think Steele’s work could be a beneficial read not only to educators but to anyone with an interest towards bettering the human condition. As Steele says early on, these “identity threats…play an important role in some of society’s most important social problems” (15). As I made predictions about the work based on its subtitle and the number of groups represented on the cover, I assumed that it would focus strictly on external components f stereotyping, not the way that these threats are internalized. This is coupled with the fact that the internalizing of these if a new concept for me. I guess I expected more “hard factors” (26) as Steele puts it, factors based on social structures, etc. All considered, it proves that stereotype threats, though “often subtle enough to be beneath our awareness, can nonetheless significantly affect things as important as our functioning” (61).
Personally I found chapter six to be the most interesting as well as the most relatable. Like most guys my age (almost 40), I grew up with a generation of parents, particularly fathers, who lived by the philosophy of “just buckle down and overcome” (98). I guess I’ve never been necessarily opposed to this philosophy as I’m one to put my head down and fight my way out of anything, but as the text and research suggest, it often just isn’t that simple. The result for me was a fierce independence coupled with determination to prove to others and to myself that “I got this,” often resulting in an “over efforting” (105) that consistently proved counterproductive. Though it establishes a determined work ethic in mind and body, the effects can be of detrimental consequence, “fiercely interfering with performance” as well as making it “difficult to stay in the setting” (111).
From the perspective of a future educator, chapter nine seemed to resonate the most. What particularly stood out was the way in which the presentation of feedback was framed. Regardless of the student, the standard is set high, and every student is told that they can achieve said standard. Under the philosophy of “self-affirmation theory,” if a student’s self-image is threatened, there is still a chance to “step back, take a breath and affirm a larger valued sense of self” (173). The text is filled with loads of other ideas to put into practice as educators, but these stood out to me the most. Although the book was by far the most challenging piece that I read this semester, it was also the most fulfilling. It’s one of those books that I have difficulty in explaining to others, but it doesn’t matter because I get it.
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non-science minded reader. Well, my predictions proved true, as I struggled through the bulk of the text, having to re-read certain passages numbers of times just to get the vaguest of understandings as to what was going on. The narrative structure moved things along at a pace that read somewhat smoother than a textbook, but not by much. Regardless, every bit of struggle was absolutely worth it in the end. Not only was I able to walk away with insight towards the effects of stereotypes and their detrimental effects, but I was forced to take a look at myself and the way that identity contingencies affect me. I’ve spent most of my life trying (and in my mind succeeding) to break certain stereotypes placed on me, the middle class, middle aged white guy. Now that I think that I’ve shaken this image, another falls in my lap-the old person who’s going back to school. At any rate, the text forced me to consider that perhaps I can be my own worst enemy in my attempts to break free of these threats.Because the book deals with these threats and contingencies being so engrained into the individual, I really think Steele’s work could be a beneficial read not only to educators but to anyone with an interest towards bettering the human condition. As Steele says early on, these “identity threats…play an important role in some of society’s most important social problems” (15). As I made predictions about the work based on its subtitle and the number of groups represented on the cover, I assumed that it would focus strictly on external components f stereotyping, not the way that these threats are internalized. This is coupled with the fact that the internalizing of these if a new concept for me. I guess I expected more “hard factors” (26) as Steele puts it, factors based on social structures, etc. All considered, it proves that stereotype threats, though “often subtle enough to be beneath our awareness, can nonetheless significantly affect things as important as our functioning” (61).
Personally I found chapter six to be the most interesting as well as the most relatable. Like most guys my age (almost 40), I grew up with a generation of parents, particularly fathers, who lived by the philosophy of “just buckle down and overcome” (98). I guess I’ve never been necessarily opposed to this philosophy as I’m one to put my head down and fight my way out of anything, but as the text and research suggest, it often just isn’t that simple. The result for me was a fierce independence coupled with determination to prove to others and to myself that “I got this,” often resulting in an “over efforting” (105) that consistently proved counterproductive. Though it establishes a determined work ethic in mind and body, the effects can be of detrimental consequence, “fiercely interfering with performance” as well as making it “difficult to stay in the setting” (111).
From the perspective of a future educator, chapter nine seemed to resonate the most. What particularly stood out was the way in which the presentation of feedback was framed. Regardless of the student, the standard is set high, and every student is told that they can achieve said standard. Under the philosophy of “self-affirmation theory,” if a student’s self-image is threatened, there is still a chance to “step back, take a breath and affirm a larger valued sense of self” (173). The text is filled with loads of other ideas to put into practice as educators, but these stood out to me the most. Although the book was by far the most challenging piece that I read this semester, it was also the most fulfilling. It’s one of those books that I have difficulty in explaining to others, but it doesn’t matter because I get it.
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LibraryThing member jrnewman
What can I say? This book stirred up a wealth of intellectual material which has been on the back burner for me since I graduated undergrad. Steele meticulously, yet accessibly, chronicles his psychological research on "stereotype threat." Stereotype threat, put simply, is the subconscious pressure
The book started out slow for me, as I found myself constantly saying, "yeah, ok, so you're just restating stuff that social scientists have been saying for decades..." However, as I read more into the book, I started to realize how genuinely unique and valuable Steele's perspective could be to the discourse on stereotypes and hierarchies. His approach, as would be expected of a psychologist, focuses on the inner world of someone faced with stereotype threat - and the ways that various contingencies and factors can play into perceptions of and involuntary reactions to that threat. So much of the work that has been done focuses on broad, sweeping causes and idealistic dreams of social change. Steele focuses on how these realities affect individuals, and how to, possibly, mitigate their impact. I was rather pleased to see creation of personal narratives and affirmations linked to positive academic returns, as some of my own experience has indicated that allowing people to express and directly shape their own narratives is primarily a positive and empowering experience (see work by the Neighborhood Story Project for examples).
Steele does a good job drawing connections between some of the social and academic challenges faced by women and minorities and stereotype threat, yet here is where I take my sole, nitpicking, issue with Steele's otherwise fantastic work. He draws extensively from sources in social psychology, his own field, but he pays scant attention to the wealth of interdisciplinary work which has been done on the topics of racism, sexism, and class-ism until the end of the book - and ever there it is basically an aside. That small criticism aside, this book has swiftly made its way into the top echelon of my arsenal of excellent works to reference and suggest when intellectually questioning stereotypes and hierarchies - alongside the likes of "Man's Most Dangerous Myth: The Fallacy of Race." Steele's work stands out as particularly practical for someone entering the education field - suggesting concrete examples of the types of things one might try in the classroom to attempt to limit the impact of stereotype threat.
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people feel when striving to not conform to a negative stereotype. This is a defense mechanism which Steele shows to be responsible for poor test scores, social anxiety, and a slew of other tensions. The book started out slow for me, as I found myself constantly saying, "yeah, ok, so you're just restating stuff that social scientists have been saying for decades..." However, as I read more into the book, I started to realize how genuinely unique and valuable Steele's perspective could be to the discourse on stereotypes and hierarchies. His approach, as would be expected of a psychologist, focuses on the inner world of someone faced with stereotype threat - and the ways that various contingencies and factors can play into perceptions of and involuntary reactions to that threat. So much of the work that has been done focuses on broad, sweeping causes and idealistic dreams of social change. Steele focuses on how these realities affect individuals, and how to, possibly, mitigate their impact. I was rather pleased to see creation of personal narratives and affirmations linked to positive academic returns, as some of my own experience has indicated that allowing people to express and directly shape their own narratives is primarily a positive and empowering experience (see work by the Neighborhood Story Project for examples).
Steele does a good job drawing connections between some of the social and academic challenges faced by women and minorities and stereotype threat, yet here is where I take my sole, nitpicking, issue with Steele's otherwise fantastic work. He draws extensively from sources in social psychology, his own field, but he pays scant attention to the wealth of interdisciplinary work which has been done on the topics of racism, sexism, and class-ism until the end of the book - and ever there it is basically an aside. That small criticism aside, this book has swiftly made its way into the top echelon of my arsenal of excellent works to reference and suggest when intellectually questioning stereotypes and hierarchies - alongside the likes of "Man's Most Dangerous Myth: The Fallacy of Race." Steele's work stands out as particularly practical for someone entering the education field - suggesting concrete examples of the types of things one might try in the classroom to attempt to limit the impact of stereotype threat.
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LibraryThing member gemerritt
Every teacher who is serious about HELPING their students achieve, rather than forcing them through a curriculum set, would do well to read this book. Dealing with topics like racial discrimination, stereotypes, or even self-perception is never easy, but this book helps readers see that that may be
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because they are all interconnected ideas. The book offers some interestinfg insight into the ways that people, consciously or not, are affected by things beyond their power to control, and how the perceptions of others often can affect people with out them even noticing it. The book also, more importantly, begins to address the more important issue of "how can teachers hep mitigate the effects of stereotypes." One of my biggest complaints about educational programs today is the constant need for the educator to be the one responsible for fixing the ills of the world, and the tendency for many programs to emphasize the problems that racism, sexism, and other prejudices have had on the American educational system, WITHOUT offerring anything in the way of solution other than forcefeeding tolerance lectures or experiences down the throats of students. The book suggests that, while the prejudice is one problem that requires this kind of approach, the scars it leaves on the psyche are not going to be removed by getting the others to think differently. It becomes the teacher's responsibility to act as both shiled and balm for these kinds of issues; I really like the idea that social scientists are working on developing actual practices that can be implemented quickly and practically in an immediate manner. The book reads really quickly too, as the author really seems as if he is sitting there talking to you about the results of his work, and could easily pull the statistical data up on his computer or out of a file somewhere if you stopped him and asked. Show Less
LibraryThing member mpresti
Steele's book should be considered essential reading for anyone who seriously reflects on social identity in today's world. It is a strenuous and comprehensive evaluation of the scientific exploration that has been accomplished in this area. It also serves as a professional memoir for the author.
Steele's experimental conclusions suggest a solution to the problem of minority student underachievement: through changing a small part of the academic learning environment (the cues) minorities can be led to feel a sense of "identity safety". Although other cues also effect the performance of a ability-stereotyped students, like critical mass, Steele is optimistic that cues can be manipulated for desired positive outcomes. While he acknowledges that there are some things that we simply cannot change overnight, historical repercussions that continue to threaten our society, we must "err in the direction of urging greater trust, rather than greater vigilance" (p. 164).
My only criticism of this book is that the cover and title do not adequately convey the scope of information contained in the book. They under/over-estimate the topics covered in the book. When I first saw the cover I expected this book to engage the entire palette of color-coded stereotypes in the cover-image. To my disappointment, the book had nothing in depth to say about the stereotypes of Latinos, Indians, Gays, Males, or Teens. There was a brief discussion on stereotypes of old age, which could be used to contrast with stereotypes of youth, yet no real discussion on this topic. The groups that were of primary concern were Whites and Black Males (cognitive ability, athletics), Females (math ability), and Asians (math ability). The title was also misleading. The author's message is that "whistling Vivaldi" is not enough to effect widespread change, when arising in the mind of a stereotyped student. It is not the responsibility of victims of stereotype threat, but that of their mentors and leaders to alter the cues and make performance environments identity safe for stereotyped students. In this sense, "whistling Vivaldi", can also be the solution, when suggested by a mentor. If every suggestion is a deception, then every compulsion is an adaptation to a contingency. At this level, the logic of this whole experimental journey into identity gets a bit murky, yet this is where discussion needs to start. We would also have to journey outside the realm of social psychology to approach these mysteries.
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Steele is careful to note that no one is free of bias, not even himself. Yet we can strive to make up for such human deficits through scientific probing into the unknown. While keeping in mind that at the root of identity an unknown factor may eventually foist all of our efforts at comprehension, Steele stoically pushes forward towards his ideal of progress and reform. Running on the hypothesis that stereotypes negatively effect the performance of high-achieving students in academic settings, Steele takes his reader on an exploration of the effects of stereotype threat. Stereotype threat is a subset of what Steele calls, "identity contingencies". These contingencies are based on an individual's sense of belonging to a group. When an individual believes that their liberties are hampered by one of these contingencies found in the social setting, this concern begins to impede the mental functioning of the individual (defined by working memory, ability to perform tasks, and a sense of self-esteem). A negative reaction to identity contingencies may be sparked by the slightest suggestion from the environment, usually spiraling into a vicious cycle of torment and stress. Although Steele only measures the effects caused by temporary stereotype threat, he acknowledges that the effects of stereotype threat on a long-term basis could be physically damaging to health. To add weight to this idea, he enlists the "John Henryism" hypothesis of Sherman James. Steele's experimental conclusions suggest a solution to the problem of minority student underachievement: through changing a small part of the academic learning environment (the cues) minorities can be led to feel a sense of "identity safety". Although other cues also effect the performance of a ability-stereotyped students, like critical mass, Steele is optimistic that cues can be manipulated for desired positive outcomes. While he acknowledges that there are some things that we simply cannot change overnight, historical repercussions that continue to threaten our society, we must "err in the direction of urging greater trust, rather than greater vigilance" (p. 164).
My only criticism of this book is that the cover and title do not adequately convey the scope of information contained in the book. They under/over-estimate the topics covered in the book. When I first saw the cover I expected this book to engage the entire palette of color-coded stereotypes in the cover-image. To my disappointment, the book had nothing in depth to say about the stereotypes of Latinos, Indians, Gays, Males, or Teens. There was a brief discussion on stereotypes of old age, which could be used to contrast with stereotypes of youth, yet no real discussion on this topic. The groups that were of primary concern were Whites and Black Males (cognitive ability, athletics), Females (math ability), and Asians (math ability). The title was also misleading. The author's message is that "whistling Vivaldi" is not enough to effect widespread change, when arising in the mind of a stereotyped student. It is not the responsibility of victims of stereotype threat, but that of their mentors and leaders to alter the cues and make performance environments identity safe for stereotyped students. In this sense, "whistling Vivaldi", can also be the solution, when suggested by a mentor. If every suggestion is a deception, then every compulsion is an adaptation to a contingency. At this level, the logic of this whole experimental journey into identity gets a bit murky, yet this is where discussion needs to start. We would also have to journey outside the realm of social psychology to approach these mysteries.
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LibraryThing member tahamilton
I enjoyed the book, Whistling Vivaldi. It shined light on how stereotypes can affect people and those around them. As someone who has an undergrad in psychology I loved the psychological perspective taken by the book. It interests me to explore what people are thinking, why, and how they are
As a future English teacher I will definitely use this book in my classroom. Not only will I re-read it before I get my first job, but I will also add it to my classroom library. I feel that it is important for both teacher, students, and people in general to understand how they are affect by social situations. For teachers and students it’s particularly important for them to understand why a child may be having difficulty in class. What stereotype threats are they facing? Does the teaching environment perpetuate those stereotypes or help refute them? The teacher has to be careful that they aren’t unconsciously exasperating any anxiety a child may face based on their race, gender, or sexual orientation. Teachers have to be careful with the feedback they give students because how it may be intended may not be how the student takes it. What the teacher may think is a carefully constructed commentary on what the student can correct so they can meet further achievements. The student may hear a criticism on their ability and may become discouraged and disillusioned. The positive intention was there, but the student received a negative message about themselves.
I think one of the more interesting discussions in the book was about critical mass. Critical Mass is when there are enough minorities in a group where they don’t feel as self-conscious about themselves. I think a lot of people can relate to being the only one in a group whether it’s the only member of your race, gender, or even interest group. The relief felt when you encounter more people who you can relate to is a feeling only someone who has been in a similar position as you can relate to.
While I enjoyed the book, it read like a textbook which can be a turn off for some people. I like how when the author spoke of a stereotype he then explored that narration with a story or an experiment.
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effected by those thoughts. I think the book explored a good range of stereotypes and tried to explain how people can be affected by them.As a future English teacher I will definitely use this book in my classroom. Not only will I re-read it before I get my first job, but I will also add it to my classroom library. I feel that it is important for both teacher, students, and people in general to understand how they are affect by social situations. For teachers and students it’s particularly important for them to understand why a child may be having difficulty in class. What stereotype threats are they facing? Does the teaching environment perpetuate those stereotypes or help refute them? The teacher has to be careful that they aren’t unconsciously exasperating any anxiety a child may face based on their race, gender, or sexual orientation. Teachers have to be careful with the feedback they give students because how it may be intended may not be how the student takes it. What the teacher may think is a carefully constructed commentary on what the student can correct so they can meet further achievements. The student may hear a criticism on their ability and may become discouraged and disillusioned. The positive intention was there, but the student received a negative message about themselves.
I think one of the more interesting discussions in the book was about critical mass. Critical Mass is when there are enough minorities in a group where they don’t feel as self-conscious about themselves. I think a lot of people can relate to being the only one in a group whether it’s the only member of your race, gender, or even interest group. The relief felt when you encounter more people who you can relate to is a feeling only someone who has been in a similar position as you can relate to.
While I enjoyed the book, it read like a textbook which can be a turn off for some people. I like how when the author spoke of a stereotype he then explored that narration with a story or an experiment.
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LibraryThing member kmmoore
Claude Steele’s “Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do” is one of those books that stays with you long after you have finished. I believe this an important book for educators to read. As Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children’s Defense Fund, states
Steele tackles the hot issue of stereotypes in a great way. From identity contingencies, stereotype threats, over-efforting, critical mass, and others, the reader is introduced to new ways of thinking about stereotypes and how they affect different people and groups.
While all the ideas that Steele provides are thought provoking, the one that stuck with me the most was the one pertaining to critical mass. Steele defines critical mass on page 135, “The term ‘critical mass’ refers to the point at which there are enough minorities in a setting, like a school or a workplace, that individual minorities no longer feel uncomfortable there because they are minorities—in our terms, they no longer feel an interfering level of identity threat”. Critical Mass could be reached by the addition of one other person from the minority group, like in the case of Justice Sandra Day O’Conner. In her early years on the Supreme Court, O’Conner was the only female. She described the time as “’asphyxiating’…Everywhere that Sandra went, the press was sure to go’” (p.135). The press was not infatuated with her because she was a Supreme Court Justice; they were infatuated with her because she was the only female Supreme Court Justice. Every time there was a decision made, people were talking about her decision in the matter, not the Court’s. The fact the she was a female seem to overshadow the fact that she a Justice on the Supreme Court. However, that all changed when Ruth Ginsburg was appointed to the Court. With the addition of Ginsburg, O’Conner had gained critical mass. As Steele points out, “Her actual contingencies changed” (p. 135). She was no longer the lone female Justice, now she was just a member of the Supreme Court.
I think this point stuck with me because at this point in my education, I feel like I lack critical mass in my focused content area. Just before reading this book I had a conversation with a co-worker about this very thing. The majority of those in Social Studies are male (at least in the classes I have taken). The school in I am observing in, there is one female Social Studies teacher. I then thought back to when I was in school, the majority of my History teachers were male. I don’t know why I just realized this but I did. No one has made me feel like I don’t belong; no one has told me that Social Studies may not be a good fit for me; no one has questioned me on my decision. My environment has not changed; I am in the same classes with the same people. But all of the sudden, I feel like I stick out, like I have to prove myself. All of this is something I placed on my own shoulders and something I need let go of.
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“This provocative book demonstrates how the messages our children quietly absorb about themselves often shape the way they behave. Steele shows us that once we understand how a ‘stereotype threat’ can harm us, we can learn how to diffuse its power”. As teachers, we should be aware of these threats and do what we can to remove their “power”. Students deserve every chance to reach their full potential. Steele tackles the hot issue of stereotypes in a great way. From identity contingencies, stereotype threats, over-efforting, critical mass, and others, the reader is introduced to new ways of thinking about stereotypes and how they affect different people and groups.
While all the ideas that Steele provides are thought provoking, the one that stuck with me the most was the one pertaining to critical mass. Steele defines critical mass on page 135, “The term ‘critical mass’ refers to the point at which there are enough minorities in a setting, like a school or a workplace, that individual minorities no longer feel uncomfortable there because they are minorities—in our terms, they no longer feel an interfering level of identity threat”. Critical Mass could be reached by the addition of one other person from the minority group, like in the case of Justice Sandra Day O’Conner. In her early years on the Supreme Court, O’Conner was the only female. She described the time as “’asphyxiating’…Everywhere that Sandra went, the press was sure to go’” (p.135). The press was not infatuated with her because she was a Supreme Court Justice; they were infatuated with her because she was the only female Supreme Court Justice. Every time there was a decision made, people were talking about her decision in the matter, not the Court’s. The fact the she was a female seem to overshadow the fact that she a Justice on the Supreme Court. However, that all changed when Ruth Ginsburg was appointed to the Court. With the addition of Ginsburg, O’Conner had gained critical mass. As Steele points out, “Her actual contingencies changed” (p. 135). She was no longer the lone female Justice, now she was just a member of the Supreme Court.
I think this point stuck with me because at this point in my education, I feel like I lack critical mass in my focused content area. Just before reading this book I had a conversation with a co-worker about this very thing. The majority of those in Social Studies are male (at least in the classes I have taken). The school in I am observing in, there is one female Social Studies teacher. I then thought back to when I was in school, the majority of my History teachers were male. I don’t know why I just realized this but I did. No one has made me feel like I don’t belong; no one has told me that Social Studies may not be a good fit for me; no one has questioned me on my decision. My environment has not changed; I am in the same classes with the same people. But all of the sudden, I feel like I stick out, like I have to prove myself. All of this is something I placed on my own shoulders and something I need let go of.
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LibraryThing member CharlesHollis
I found this book's arguments to be quite fascinating. Indeed, I was called to recall an earlier book attempting to grapple with similar issues, "The Bell Curve," and sincerely feel that this book, "Whistling Vivaldi," in many parts provides an excellent counterpoint to "Bell Curve's" arguments.
However, I have two critiques of the book, one minor and the other stylistic. the minor quibble is that I am not entirely certain that I am completely sold that stereotypical assumptions of groups are the primary cause of so great a disparity in skill sets between groups. I agree that self-confidence in a task is important and will readily concede that the expectation of success or failure will have an ancillary contribution to the performance of a task. Yet, I cannot help but feel that this "psychic damage" is merely one of a committee of obstacles to success, such as socioeconomic background providing advantages and disadvantages, or the values of an individual's family guiding their interests during their formative years.
My stylistic issue is that this read more like a text book at times and less as nonfiction, so in many places I found myself studying it as I would to prepare for an examination, rather than reading to judge it based upon its merits. This, perhaps affected this review.
I will say, however, that I greatly enjoyed the author noting how actions, or behaviors, contrary to stereotypical assumptions serve to drastically change how people are perceived, and therefore treated, by others. The anecdote about the friend of the author whose whistling of a song by Vivaldi reminded me of a video I saw by a Metal band I enjoy, Children of Bodom, in which their two guitarists, clad in denim and wearing long hair, play the Summer Movement from Vivaldi's Four Seasons magnificently upon electric guitars. I found the parallel in shattering preconceived stereotypes fascinating.
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Specifically, "Vivaldi" calls into question the validity, or at least the conclusions drawn, in "Bell Curve" by asserting that the stereotypical assumptions underlying IQ tests handicap minorities and women (at least in the math portions) as they take the tests thus tainting, if not invalidating, the results. However, I have two critiques of the book, one minor and the other stylistic. the minor quibble is that I am not entirely certain that I am completely sold that stereotypical assumptions of groups are the primary cause of so great a disparity in skill sets between groups. I agree that self-confidence in a task is important and will readily concede that the expectation of success or failure will have an ancillary contribution to the performance of a task. Yet, I cannot help but feel that this "psychic damage" is merely one of a committee of obstacles to success, such as socioeconomic background providing advantages and disadvantages, or the values of an individual's family guiding their interests during their formative years.
My stylistic issue is that this read more like a text book at times and less as nonfiction, so in many places I found myself studying it as I would to prepare for an examination, rather than reading to judge it based upon its merits. This, perhaps affected this review.
I will say, however, that I greatly enjoyed the author noting how actions, or behaviors, contrary to stereotypical assumptions serve to drastically change how people are perceived, and therefore treated, by others. The anecdote about the friend of the author whose whistling of a song by Vivaldi reminded me of a video I saw by a Metal band I enjoy, Children of Bodom, in which their two guitarists, clad in denim and wearing long hair, play the Summer Movement from Vivaldi's Four Seasons magnificently upon electric guitars. I found the parallel in shattering preconceived stereotypes fascinating.
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LibraryThing member mdhoward
Steele's book made me think. I thought about what he said, the implications for teachers, and where I stand personally. Steele manages to discuss emotionally charged topics that most people shy away from because of his even-handed, open-minded approach. He is well-spoken, well-read, and tries to be
He refers to stereotyping as a “human predicament”. Having a bias is human nature, and it's okay to observe those emotions. Steele says “Although the book deals with issues that can have a political charge, neither it nor the work it reports is propelled by an ideological orientation – to the best of my and my colleagues' ability” (page 13). Steele sprinkles his book with occasional concessions that he is also human. I think that was important because by continuously owning his humanity, he increases his credibility and improves the book's readability. I found this commendable and I kept reading.
I enjoyed reading the part about “over-efforting”. Steele discusses the SAT scores (page 101) differing among black, white, and asian students. He discusses how black students studied longer and independently, while white and asian students utilized peers and other resources to check understanding. The white and asian students scored higher than the black students, whom were left frustrated; “this was a frustrating experience, which made them wonder whether they belonged there”. To me, this felt like an overgeneralization. It puts everything into the context of generalities and obscures the talent and value of individuals. For example, I strongly suspect there were whites and asians who did poorly and black students who did well... raising the question: what is the value of conclusions derived from standardized testing? That's a topic beyond the scope of Steele's book.
I think Steele's book raises important questions and content gracefully. Reading his book makes me hopeful for conversations in the future where important issues can be discussed with a minimum of personal angst, no matter how legitimate. This content tends to provoke equally emotionally valid counterpoints, but that emotional back-and-forth creates a situation wherein the academic focus is the first victim. In contrast, Steele manages to take that heavy content and wrote a readable, digestible, informative and helpful book.
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as objective as possible. In an academic setting, persuasion is positively correlated with unemotional presentation. Steele wants to leave his readers with a heightened sensitivity to discriminatory tendencies, or our “social reality”. As a reader, I was left with exactly that.He refers to stereotyping as a “human predicament”. Having a bias is human nature, and it's okay to observe those emotions. Steele says “Although the book deals with issues that can have a political charge, neither it nor the work it reports is propelled by an ideological orientation – to the best of my and my colleagues' ability” (page 13). Steele sprinkles his book with occasional concessions that he is also human. I think that was important because by continuously owning his humanity, he increases his credibility and improves the book's readability. I found this commendable and I kept reading.
I enjoyed reading the part about “over-efforting”. Steele discusses the SAT scores (page 101) differing among black, white, and asian students. He discusses how black students studied longer and independently, while white and asian students utilized peers and other resources to check understanding. The white and asian students scored higher than the black students, whom were left frustrated; “this was a frustrating experience, which made them wonder whether they belonged there”. To me, this felt like an overgeneralization. It puts everything into the context of generalities and obscures the talent and value of individuals. For example, I strongly suspect there were whites and asians who did poorly and black students who did well... raising the question: what is the value of conclusions derived from standardized testing? That's a topic beyond the scope of Steele's book.
I think Steele's book raises important questions and content gracefully. Reading his book makes me hopeful for conversations in the future where important issues can be discussed with a minimum of personal angst, no matter how legitimate. This content tends to provoke equally emotionally valid counterpoints, but that emotional back-and-forth creates a situation wherein the academic focus is the first victim. In contrast, Steele manages to take that heavy content and wrote a readable, digestible, informative and helpful book.
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LibraryThing member rupsarkar
Brent Staples, a psychology student at University of Chicago, would whistle Vivaldi while walking down the streets of Chicago. This simple action allowed people to stop avoiding him and viewing him as a threat. By demonstrating knowledge of “high white culture”, he redefined himself. The book
This book should be considered essential reading for everyone, not just educators. As a global citizen, it is important to understand diverse perspectives. Stereotyping does not add any value to this understanding. It causes confusion and misunderstandings. The generalizations hamper the social nature of our society. Individual traits and characteristics need to be appreciated. Culture is also affected by the persistence of generalizations and identity threats. By being present in pressure situations, humans tend to make rash decisions that have unintended consequences. This is demonstrated by the means of standardized testing. Just the format in which directions are presented to a tester can affect their overall performance on an assessment. The same kind of pressure or identity threat is present in government. The case of Sandra Day O'Connor is a stellar example. Her thought processes and rationales are unique. But with the presence of eight other men, her decisions must be tailored in a unique fashion. This downplays the overall importance of the originality of her thinking. This was the case with the U of M court cases, in which she was the deciding vote. As stated by Steele, she did not have a critical mass to truly support her identity. Stereotype and Identity threat affect cognitive processes. As seen in a classroom setting, it limits discussion. As educators, these threats undermine our overall instructional goals. The case of the White student in a class full of African Americans demonstrated the effects. This student felt out of place and his academic performance was affected even with his efforts to do well. The main objective for a boss or instructor should be to understand and appreciate the identities people bring. There is also a fine line of diffusing group-based stereotypes. This is a fine-line because it is difficult to do so and it is human nature for us to put individuals in a global often misguided groups. One of the overall goals of Steele's writing is to state that we need to be conscious of our actions and thoughts.
This book is an excellent conversation starter. It takes a while to get used to the writing style. It is informative but in order to fully appreciate this text, a reader needs to understand the scope and processes of the social experiments mentioned. This book is part of the "Issues of Our Time" series. As a reader, I have read some of the other works in the series, The overall goal for each book is to analyze and spark a discussion of a contemporary trend. "Cosmopolitanism" is the most recent book I have read from this series. ""Whistling Vivaldi" is a much more sound read. It has a clear message and the writing style is inviting. It poses similar questions but attempts to provide more concrete research based conclusions and answers. Compare that to "Cosmopolitanism," which in itself is interesting but is plagued by a lack of a clear and concise message. Also, the writing style does not immediately invite a reader. Considering these factors,Claude Steele does a wonderful job at addressing a complex and relevant issue in an approachable manner.
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“Whistling Vivaldi”, is filled with anecdotes and cases where people are affected by stereotype threat. By implementing a variety of social experiments, Claude Steele highlights the deleterious effects of identity contingencies and stereotype threats. Both of these threats, in tandem, undermine academic performance and cast a negative light on our individual racial and social identity. This book should be considered essential reading for everyone, not just educators. As a global citizen, it is important to understand diverse perspectives. Stereotyping does not add any value to this understanding. It causes confusion and misunderstandings. The generalizations hamper the social nature of our society. Individual traits and characteristics need to be appreciated. Culture is also affected by the persistence of generalizations and identity threats. By being present in pressure situations, humans tend to make rash decisions that have unintended consequences. This is demonstrated by the means of standardized testing. Just the format in which directions are presented to a tester can affect their overall performance on an assessment. The same kind of pressure or identity threat is present in government. The case of Sandra Day O'Connor is a stellar example. Her thought processes and rationales are unique. But with the presence of eight other men, her decisions must be tailored in a unique fashion. This downplays the overall importance of the originality of her thinking. This was the case with the U of M court cases, in which she was the deciding vote. As stated by Steele, she did not have a critical mass to truly support her identity. Stereotype and Identity threat affect cognitive processes. As seen in a classroom setting, it limits discussion. As educators, these threats undermine our overall instructional goals. The case of the White student in a class full of African Americans demonstrated the effects. This student felt out of place and his academic performance was affected even with his efforts to do well. The main objective for a boss or instructor should be to understand and appreciate the identities people bring. There is also a fine line of diffusing group-based stereotypes. This is a fine-line because it is difficult to do so and it is human nature for us to put individuals in a global often misguided groups. One of the overall goals of Steele's writing is to state that we need to be conscious of our actions and thoughts.
This book is an excellent conversation starter. It takes a while to get used to the writing style. It is informative but in order to fully appreciate this text, a reader needs to understand the scope and processes of the social experiments mentioned. This book is part of the "Issues of Our Time" series. As a reader, I have read some of the other works in the series, The overall goal for each book is to analyze and spark a discussion of a contemporary trend. "Cosmopolitanism" is the most recent book I have read from this series. ""Whistling Vivaldi" is a much more sound read. It has a clear message and the writing style is inviting. It poses similar questions but attempts to provide more concrete research based conclusions and answers. Compare that to "Cosmopolitanism," which in itself is interesting but is plagued by a lack of a clear and concise message. Also, the writing style does not immediately invite a reader. Considering these factors,Claude Steele does a wonderful job at addressing a complex and relevant issue in an approachable manner.
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LibraryThing member ADReed
First and foremost, Claude M. Steele's approach to addressing the "stereotype threat" throughout "Whistling Vivaldi" is excellent. Every experiment addresses the stereotyping issue in our society in a way that is informative, but also appeals to the emotions of the reader. By presenting the many
However, the cover of the book was a bit misleading for me, seeing as Steele does not really address the stereotype threats surrounding gay, latino, or indian, only women, men, black, white, and Asian. I am curious to know if it these aspects are covered in another book within the series "Issues of Our Time" since it is a part of it.
To be completely honest, this book was a bit of a difficult read for me. Not that it is any fault of Steele's, but I found my mind wandering trying to answer the many questions each section presents within context, rather than continuing on to find out the answer. The sheer amount of people this text covers is also a bit hard to keep up with, which is why I am glad that we were able to break it up into two sections and really delve into the text over a longer period of time.
My favorite parts of "Whistling Vivaldi" were those that made me think about my own daily life and interactions with stereotypes. For example, on page 73, Steele says, "To see this in your own life, think of the important settings in your life, your school, your workplace, your family," which made me reflect upon the topic he was discussing at that moment in my own life.
After reading this book, I have found myself being more aware of my surroundings and paying closer attention to these threats and issues in my own actions and the actions of those around me. Not to say I am paranoid or anything, but this book impacted me more than most in that I am SO much more analytic of the people I surround myself with and the settings in which I do so.
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different stereotyping issues grounded in research and studies conducted by Steele and his colleagues, this book lays the foundation for looking at these stereotypes in our every day social life.However, the cover of the book was a bit misleading for me, seeing as Steele does not really address the stereotype threats surrounding gay, latino, or indian, only women, men, black, white, and Asian. I am curious to know if it these aspects are covered in another book within the series "Issues of Our Time" since it is a part of it.
To be completely honest, this book was a bit of a difficult read for me. Not that it is any fault of Steele's, but I found my mind wandering trying to answer the many questions each section presents within context, rather than continuing on to find out the answer. The sheer amount of people this text covers is also a bit hard to keep up with, which is why I am glad that we were able to break it up into two sections and really delve into the text over a longer period of time.
My favorite parts of "Whistling Vivaldi" were those that made me think about my own daily life and interactions with stereotypes. For example, on page 73, Steele says, "To see this in your own life, think of the important settings in your life, your school, your workplace, your family," which made me reflect upon the topic he was discussing at that moment in my own life.
After reading this book, I have found myself being more aware of my surroundings and paying closer attention to these threats and issues in my own actions and the actions of those around me. Not to say I am paranoid or anything, but this book impacted me more than most in that I am SO much more analytic of the people I surround myself with and the settings in which I do so.
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LibraryThing member vroussel
Social psychologist and provost of Columbia Claude Steele has written a book in which he presents numerous studies pertaining to a phenomenon called "stereotype threat," or the tendency of people to feel they are at risk of confirming negative stereotypes about their group (e.g. race, gender,
While I really enjoyed the information presented in Steele's book, I was so turned off by his approach that every page was a struggle. It's not often that I come across a book that literally puts me to sleep two pages in, but Steele was more effective at putting me under than any other over-the-counter sleep aid. His textbook approach and repetitious delivery of information made it difficult for me to stay interested even though the studies he presents are fascinating. Not only that, but he only addresses the issues of race and gender with his focus primarily on African Americans and women. What about everyone else? As much as it might pain Mr. Steele to hear me say this, a good editor would have found a way to cut this book in half and still included all the important bits.
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culture, etc.). Through these studies, Steele and his colleagues discovered that "stereotype threat seemed to be a situational pressure that didn't require internal susceptibility to interfere with intellectual performance" (p. 94). This book exposes the psychological effects stereotypes can have on a person, and ends with a call-to-arms against perpetuating them in the education system.While I really enjoyed the information presented in Steele's book, I was so turned off by his approach that every page was a struggle. It's not often that I come across a book that literally puts me to sleep two pages in, but Steele was more effective at putting me under than any other over-the-counter sleep aid. His textbook approach and repetitious delivery of information made it difficult for me to stay interested even though the studies he presents are fascinating. Not only that, but he only addresses the issues of race and gender with his focus primarily on African Americans and women. What about everyone else? As much as it might pain Mr. Steele to hear me say this, a good editor would have found a way to cut this book in half and still included all the important bits.
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LibraryThing member HadleyAdkins
I wanted to like this book. I wanted to find it interesting. I really did. But honestly, it bored me to tears. And I like reading boring, researched-based texts. I found Claude Steele's ideas of "stereotype threat" and " identity contingencies" interesting, but the book was a summation of his
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life's work, which was filled with studies whose results presented nothing necessarily surprising. In fact, this book made me realize that I spend every class sitting next to two students of different races than I am. It is not something I think about and it is not something that necessarily registers with me. But all of a sudden I'm being forced to qualify them by identifying terms when previously they were the girls I sit next to in class and whose opinions I appreciate and whose company I like. Some of my closest friends over the years have been Indian, Chinese, African American, Honduran, gay, queer, straight, cross dressers -- things I don't think about until I'm forced to. Then I'm left wondering: is important for me to think about my friends' race, sexual orientation, gender identification? I'm now left questioning the relevance of my questioning. If it's not something I considered before, why should I be considering it now? Show Less
LibraryThing member SamMusher
I was asked to read this for work. I'm interested in stereotype threat, and looked forward to delving deeper into the science behind it. Unfortunately, this book had nothing new to offer me. I found the tone condescending and oversimplified, and the "journey through our research process" gimmick
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was a waste of my time. As with so much non-fiction, this didn't need to be a book -- a two-page article would have gotten all the same points across more effectively. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookishtexpat
Required reading for grad school orientation...should be required reading for ALL. A little repetitive at times, but filled with good information, great examples, and a pleading for us to embrace our identities and the identities of others.
LibraryThing member nmele
Another piece of the puzzle: Dr. Steele poses the question, do stereotypes affect performance and explains a series of different experiments he and colleagues conducted to answer questions about how stereotypes affect people. His account of the experiments and what they reveal is fascinating and
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has practical applications which Dr. Steele flatly states are necessary but not sufficient to overcome the effects of segregation and poverty. This is a fascinating book, one which should be read by policymakers and educators and then acted upon. Show Less
LibraryThing member nmathur
Brent Staples, a psychology student at University of Chicago, would whistle Vivaldi while walking down the streets of Hyde Park neighborhood. This apparently put the people at ease. By displaying knowledge of “high white culture”, he conveyed an image of an educated and refined person. He
The book is part of a series called “Issues of our times.” One of the lesser known issues is stereotype threat. Although stereotypes exist in every society, its effects are markedly more in America that is called the melting pot of different cultures. It is an informative book that can be read by anyone. It’s an influential book that focuses us to reflect on our own as well as the actions of others around us. It’s important to understand and explore stereotype expectations and how they affect us. The book is a collection of social experiments conducted by Steele and other scientists on the phenomenon of stereotype threat. It deals with questions like why women don’t do well in subjects like advanced math or why black students don’t do well in college. Scientifically proven research supports the hypothesis. The boom is well written and engaging. It helps us to understand human behavior. The book offers solutions to educators on how to help students in class. For example one of the experiments showed how by reminding the female students their strengths helped them do better in math.
Claude Mason Steele is an American social psychologist and currently the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost at the University of California, Berkeley. The book is well researched and cites many known social experiments. I liked the fact that after every experiment, a new question was generated. This led to more experiments that increased our knowledge on stereotype threat. Although the book covers a variety of topics, there follow the same pattern. Every experiment starts with a question, which leads to more research. An experiment is then designed and conducted. The collected data is then analyzed to come to an inference. Ideas are therefore logically ordered. The book is recommended for college level students, however I did have to read certain passages a couple of times to glean the information. In fact every time you read a chapter it seems as if you create new knowledge. Most of the experiments astounded me in their simplicity. I was also amazed by some of the results. The tone of the book is conversational. Although every chapter in the book is a gold mine of information, I specially enjoyed reading the last chapter (identity as a bridge between us) where the author gave useful pointers on how to address stereotype threat in your workplace and the steps that can be taken to overcome it.
The author concludes by writing that the mission of the book is not only to “broaden our understanding of human functioning” but also to “appraise and protect ourselves from being negatively judged and treated” (p. 213-214) I believe that he was able to attain his objective.
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seemed less threatening. The book “Whistling Vivaldi”, is filled with such cases where people are affected by stereotype threat. Using a variety of social experiments, author Claude Steele, brings to the forefront a major problem seen in todays society- identity contingencies. The book is part of a series called “Issues of our times.” One of the lesser known issues is stereotype threat. Although stereotypes exist in every society, its effects are markedly more in America that is called the melting pot of different cultures. It is an informative book that can be read by anyone. It’s an influential book that focuses us to reflect on our own as well as the actions of others around us. It’s important to understand and explore stereotype expectations and how they affect us. The book is a collection of social experiments conducted by Steele and other scientists on the phenomenon of stereotype threat. It deals with questions like why women don’t do well in subjects like advanced math or why black students don’t do well in college. Scientifically proven research supports the hypothesis. The boom is well written and engaging. It helps us to understand human behavior. The book offers solutions to educators on how to help students in class. For example one of the experiments showed how by reminding the female students their strengths helped them do better in math.
Claude Mason Steele is an American social psychologist and currently the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost at the University of California, Berkeley. The book is well researched and cites many known social experiments. I liked the fact that after every experiment, a new question was generated. This led to more experiments that increased our knowledge on stereotype threat. Although the book covers a variety of topics, there follow the same pattern. Every experiment starts with a question, which leads to more research. An experiment is then designed and conducted. The collected data is then analyzed to come to an inference. Ideas are therefore logically ordered. The book is recommended for college level students, however I did have to read certain passages a couple of times to glean the information. In fact every time you read a chapter it seems as if you create new knowledge. Most of the experiments astounded me in their simplicity. I was also amazed by some of the results. The tone of the book is conversational. Although every chapter in the book is a gold mine of information, I specially enjoyed reading the last chapter (identity as a bridge between us) where the author gave useful pointers on how to address stereotype threat in your workplace and the steps that can be taken to overcome it.
The author concludes by writing that the mission of the book is not only to “broaden our understanding of human functioning” but also to “appraise and protect ourselves from being negatively judged and treated” (p. 213-214) I believe that he was able to attain his objective.
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LibraryThing member scottjpearson
This book was written in 2010 and covers how individual psychology affects society concerning race, gender, mental illness, age, and other differences. Its intended audience seems to consist primarily of Americans. However, it seems like the United States has travelled a long journey since 2010,
None of this invalidates any of the research Steele presents from the field of social psychology. He writes about studies showing how the mere mention of a racial or gender category can elicit better-or-worse test scores in college students. He also writes about his personal journey in trying to raise academic achievement in minorities in the college setting. The historical chain of research – brilliant in its design, meticulous in its handling, and clear in its presentation – is still abundantly relevant.
The last chapter – a surmise on whether we’ve reached a “post-racial” society (Steele says no) – seems very dated. Racial discord seems high at the moment I write this in 2020. Most citizens would now laugh at the notion that America has reached post-racial status. Such an observation seems in line with the findings of Steele’s research. “Stereotype threat” is the anxiety that a stereotype of bad outcomes for a group will apply in one’s own specific case. It can be observed in all races, genders, etc. It says simply that one’s identity matters and will continue to matter. Feeling stereotype threat is an innate part of being human. Steele sees that the only way to better the situation is embracing that identity and seeing its positive benefits.
This work has obvious impact for students as well as educators. It also contains insight for social leaders. Americans, living in an acknowledged “melting pot” society, will recognize behaviors that their friends, neighbors, and even themselves have in response to stereotype threat. Steele’s treatment is helpful in slowing down the continual flow of thoughts about this issue in order to see it more cleanly. I, for one, will be more deliberate in how I deal with those of different identity than me in certain social settings.
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since the beginning of the Obama era. That journey seems to have spanned places both on and off the beaten path towards social equality. After finishing this book, I’m left to wonder what Steele’s thoughts are concerning this journey.None of this invalidates any of the research Steele presents from the field of social psychology. He writes about studies showing how the mere mention of a racial or gender category can elicit better-or-worse test scores in college students. He also writes about his personal journey in trying to raise academic achievement in minorities in the college setting. The historical chain of research – brilliant in its design, meticulous in its handling, and clear in its presentation – is still abundantly relevant.
The last chapter – a surmise on whether we’ve reached a “post-racial” society (Steele says no) – seems very dated. Racial discord seems high at the moment I write this in 2020. Most citizens would now laugh at the notion that America has reached post-racial status. Such an observation seems in line with the findings of Steele’s research. “Stereotype threat” is the anxiety that a stereotype of bad outcomes for a group will apply in one’s own specific case. It can be observed in all races, genders, etc. It says simply that one’s identity matters and will continue to matter. Feeling stereotype threat is an innate part of being human. Steele sees that the only way to better the situation is embracing that identity and seeing its positive benefits.
This work has obvious impact for students as well as educators. It also contains insight for social leaders. Americans, living in an acknowledged “melting pot” society, will recognize behaviors that their friends, neighbors, and even themselves have in response to stereotype threat. Steele’s treatment is helpful in slowing down the continual flow of thoughts about this issue in order to see it more cleanly. I, for one, will be more deliberate in how I deal with those of different identity than me in certain social settings.
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Language
Original language
English
Physical description
256 p.; 5.6 inches
ISBN
0393339726 / 9780393339727