An Examination of Factors Hypothesized to Moderate Stereotype Threat Effects on the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices

Abstract

The present study examined the moderating effects of racial identity centrality and performance goal orientation on the relationship between stereotype threat and test performance. I also assessed the extent to which test-taking motivation, test-taking anxiety, fairness, and perceived job-relatedness mediated the stereotype threat-test performance relationship. African-Americans were assigned to one of three conditions, all varying in the amount of associated stereotype threat, and given a cognitive ability test. Information concerning their individual racial identities, goal orientations, and perceptions of tests was collected. Results indicated that stereotype threat was not a statistically significant predictor of test performance. Additionally, none of the proposed moderators and mediators was statistically significant.