WOMEN IN TECH THE FACTS

Stereotype Threat
Stereotype threat is the fear or anxiety that our actions
will confirm negative stereotypes about an identity
group to which we belong (e.g., gender, race, age). More
than 300 research studies have documented that these
fears and anxieties reduce feelings of competence
and belonging, and can negatively affect performance
(see Aronson et al., 1999, and reducingstereotypethreat.org
for more information).
“Great job! You’re living
proof that women really
do have technical minds!”
Recognizing stereotype threat is important; otherwise employers, supervisors, or coworkers might
incorrectly assume that a “so-called” lack of performance or confidence is the result of personal
characteristics of the employees themselves when it is really more about the environment. Leaving
these environmental conditions unaddressed ensures that these employees are not able to live up
to their full potential and will most likely leave the company.
Conditions That Can Trigger Stereotype Threat
The following conditions can trigger stereotype threat and cause otherwise highly qualified candidates
to underperform or appear less “confident:”
• An all-male or all-white (or otherwise homogeneous) interview team.
• Features of the physical office environment that signify a stereotypically “geeky,” “male,” or
“white” space (e.g., action figures, sci-fi posters, stacked soda cans, “geek” stuff).
• Attention called to gender or race during application, interview, or other evaluation processes.
• Organizations with a “fixed” mindset—that is, they see talent as fairly innate (e.g., either you
have it or you don’t). This mindset tends to reinforce stereotypes and invoke stereotype threat
(Emerson & Murphy, 2015).
How Stereotype Threat Might Show Up In
Technical Workplaces
• Reluctance to speak up in team meetings or to take
on leadership positions.
• Appearing “less confident” in interview settings.
• Reduced performance in interviews or other
work contexts.
• Tendency to discount own performance during
reviews and evaluations.
WOMEN IN TECH: THE FACTS 23