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Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0598-7003
AccessType
Open Access Dissertation
Document Type
dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Program
Psychology
Year Degree Awarded
2022
Month Degree Awarded
February
First Advisor
Nilanjana Dasgupta
Subject Categories
Social Psychology
Abstract
The underrepresentation of women, racial ethnic minorities, and first-generation college students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in the United States has been well-documented. Members of these minority groups face negative stereotypes casting doubt on their abilities in these fields, which can cause the concern that they will be judged through the lens of the stereotype and devalued. This concern is called social identity threat. This dissertation presents three investigations focusing on the experiences of underrepresented students in STEM, examining when and how altering situational contexts increases or decreases their vulnerability to social identity threat. Chapter 1 is a literature review summarizing theories underlying these investigations. Chapter 2 tested how subtle gender stereotypic cues affect women’s attentional vigilance on a math related task. Chapter 3 examined the long-term impacts of same-sex peer mentorship on women’s academic experiences and retention in engineering. Chapter 4 tested whether immersion in a living learning community designed for first-generation students benefitted their academic experiences and retention in the biological sciences. Chapter 5 concludes by discussing the theoretical contribution of all three studies, presenting recommendations for application, and posing suggestions for future research.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/26417334.0
Recommended Citation
Wu, Deborah, "ASSESSING IMPACTS OF NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES AND DESIGNING THEORY-DRIVEN INTERVENTIONS TO SUPPORT UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES IN STEM" (2022). Doctoral Dissertations. 2483.
https://doi.org/10.7275/26417334.0
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_2/2483