Psychology Commons^™

The Negative Consequences Of Positive Stereotypes: Positive Gender Stereotypes Elicit Negative Stereotype Beliefs But Not Stereotype Threat For Women In Stem., Elizabeth Scharnetzki

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Gender disparities are significantly pronounced within fields that have been perceived as prohibitive for women, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); for example, women make up only 29% of the entire STEM workforce (e.g., NSF, Science and Engineering Indicators, 2016). Efforts to promote inclusivity in STEM have historically focused on “debunking” negative stereotypes by highlighting socially desirable attributes of marginalized groups (i.e., positive stereotypes). Positive stereotypes are assumed to be benign because they ascribe favorable attributes to a disadvantaged group; however, research suggests that positive stereotypes can be associated with negative consequences, including feelings of depersonalization and attributions …