Research article summary (published 28 Apr 2009):

The effect of stereotype threat on the solving of quantitative GRE problems: a mere effort interpretation.

Full Abstract

The mere effort account argues that stereotype threat motivates participants to want to perform well, which potentiates prepotent responses. If the prepotent response is correct, performance is facilitated. If incorrect and participants do not know, or lack the knowledge or time required for correction, performance is debilitated. The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) quantitative test is made up of two problem types: (a) solve problems, which require the solution of an equation, and (b) comparison problems, which require the use of logic and estimation. Previous research shows that the prepotent tendency is to attempt to solve the equations. Consistent with mere effort predictions, Experiment 1 demonstrates that threatened participants perform better than controls on solve problems (prepotent response correct) but worse than controls on comparison problems (prepotent response incorrect). Experiment 2 shows that a simple instruction as to the correct solution approach eliminates the performance deficit on comparison problems.

Author information

Author/s: Jamieson, Jeremy P (JP); Harkins, Stephen G (SG);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115-5000, USA. jamieson.jp(-atsign-)gmail.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Personality and social psychology bulletin (Pers Soc Psychol Bull), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 35 (issue 10) : pp 1301-14

Dates: Created 2009/09/04; Completed 2009/10/19;

PMID: 19407004, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/19/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Achievement Attention Culture Educational Measurement Female Gender Identity Humans Inhibition (Psychology) Knowledge of Results (Psychology)

Knowledge of Results (Psychology) Logic Male Mathematics Motivation Problem Solving Reaction Time Saccades Stereotyping

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