Abstract:
The stereotype threat hypothesis (STH) attempts to explain the processes that label people of color as
unqualified (Fischer and Massey 2007; Massey and Mooney 2007; Crosby, Iyer, Clayton, and
Downing 2003; Scott, Atwell, Gerber, Higginbotham, Kant, Oaxaca, Yee, Richardson, and Adler
1996). This hypothesis argues that people of color tend to be psychosocially labelled as students
who cannot pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and therefore, require either affirmative action or
diversity and inclusion initiatives in the student enrollment process, as well as both federal and state
financial aid to succeed in higher education (Schouten 2015; Fischer and Massey 2007; Massey and
Mooney 2007; Lowery, Unzueta, and Knowles 2006; Crosby et al. 2003; Scott et al. 1996). The STH
also contends that students of color with low SAT scores are destined to fail in higher education
(Schouten 2015; Fischer and Massey 2007; Massey and Mooney 2007; Lowery et al. 2006; Crosby et
al. 2003; Scott et al. 1996). |
