First published 2010
Social psychologist Claude Steele examines how stereotypes damage performance across American society. Steele presents decades of research showing that simply reminding people of negative stereotypes about their group impairs their abilities. When female math students hear that women struggle with mathematics, their test scores drop. When researchers mention racial stereotypes before standardized tests, achievement gaps widen. Steele calls this phenomenon "stereotype threat" and demonstrates its reach through personal stories and laboratory studies. He explores how identity shapes experience for everyone, from white students struggling in African American Studies courses to female engineers avoiding male-dominated conferences. The book connects these individual experiences to broader social patterns, explaining persistent gaps in test scores and assumptions about athletic ability. Steele concludes by outlining practical strategies for reducing stereotype threat and helping people build stronger identities that resist social prejudice.
Genres: psychology, social-science, american, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, personal-stories
242 pages · Hardcover · W. W. Norton & Company