 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
This paper examines stereotype threat effects involved
in driving ability. In Experiment 1, female university
students with an average of several years experience
completed a driving exercise on a simulator. Some women
were told that the study was designed to assess "mental
processes involved in driving" (control) whereas the
other women were told that the study was to "investigate
the reasons that men are better drivers than women"
(stereotype threat). Although women in the two
groups showed equivalent driving quality in terms of
maintaining proper speed and road orientation, women in the stereotype
threat condition were more than twice as likely to
hit a pedestrian jaywalker who
unexpectedly appeared near the end of the simulation (59% vs. 25%). Experiment 2 replicated the first study but added a
concurrent demanding cognitive task for half of the
participants. When participants were not asked to
complete the demanding task while driving, results
mirrored those obtained in Experiment 1; women in the
stereotype threat condition were more than twice as
likely to strike an unexpected pedestrian compared with
women in the control condition. When drivers had
to complete a concurrent cognitive task, however, performance in
the control condition was negatively affected but was no
worse in the stereotype threat condition. The fact
that accidents were as likely in the control as in the
stereotype threat condition under cognitive demand
suggests that stereotype threat harms driving ability
by reducing available cognitive capacity to react and
adjust effectively to unexpected events.
Back to top | Previous
Page
|
|
|
|
