An Exploration of the Connections Between Institution Type and Perceived Levels of Stereotype Threat in African American Engineering Students
Abstract
To distinguish the similarities and differences in coping strategies of African American engineering
students, a quantitative study was conducted which examined their perceptions of stereotype threat at
three academic institution types: predominantly White institutions, ethnically diverse, and Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The researcher collected demographic information as well
as survey data using the Stereotype Vulnerability Scale (SVS). Results were analyzed using a one-way
ANOVA and Pearson’s correlational statistical analyses. Findings revealed that no statistical
differences exist between students’ scores on an assessment of stereotype vulnerability at the three
university types, nor did the percentage of African American students at a university correlate with their
scores on the SVS. Future research should expand the number of survey participants at the current
universities, add more HBCUs to the study population, run similar experiments in different parts of the
country, and compare stereotype threat in private and elite universities.