New CED – Cognition Practice Exam

Stereotype threat refers to the psychological phenomenon where individuals who are part of a negatively stereotyped group experience anxiety or concern about confirming that stereotype. This heightened state of anxiety can interfere with cognitive processes, such as working memory, attention, and problem-solving abilities. As a result, individuals may perform worse than they are capable of because they are distracted by the fear of reinforcing the negative stereotypes associated with their group.

When people are aware of the stereotype that applies to their social group, the pressure to disprove that stereotype can lead to increased stress, which ultimately detracts from their cognitive resources. This results in diminished focus and impaired performance on tasks that would normally be manageable. The impact of stereotype threat is particularly significant in academic and testing environments where individuals may be evaluated based on their performance, making this phenomenon crucial to understanding the broader implications of social identity on cognition.

In contrast, the other options do not reflect the well-documented effects of stereotype threat on cognitive performance. For instance, while boosts in confidence or a positive outlook are beneficial, stereotype threat fundamentally undermines these factors by instilling anxiety. Additionally, claiming that it has no effect on performance overlooks the extensive research that demonstrates how prevalent and damaging stereotype threat can be in various contexts. Thus, recognizing