Summary

In Chapter 9, “Reducing Identity and Stereotype Threat: A New Hope,” Steele talks about overcoming stereotype threat. He relays his individual experience as a graduate student, then covers a number of studies that look at how to overcome stereotype threat in larger groups. A student of black and white students found that black students often had trouble deciding whether a teacher was offering them helpful feedback or discriminating against them. When the teacher remained neutral or vague on this, the black students didn’t trust them. When they tried to reassure that they weren’t racist, the students didn’t trust them. Only when they said that they knew the students had strong abilities, and were giving them feedback to make sure they did as well as they possibly could did they trust them. Having black and white students get together to discuss their...