Our social identities evolve from gender, age, culture, educational background, medical status, political affiliations, and a lot of other places. Each of these identities comes with a set of expectations or stereotypes. Nobody is immune to stereotypes, and we all have been at the receiving end of negative perceptions. Social psychologist, Claude Steele, describes this phenomenon as 'the stereotype threat.’ His book ‘Whistling Vivaldi’ analyzes the influence of negative stereotypes on our lives.
The book's title is inspired by a personal experience of Steele’s friend, Brent Staples, a writer for the New York Times. When Staples was a graduate student in Chicago, he observed that white individuals in the neighborhood seemed to be afraid of him. They would avoid him, or cross the street to the other side. He realized that they negatively stereotyped him as a potentially violent African American. When he began whistling the tunes of the classical composer, Vivaldi, the passers-by seemed to relax. Staples learned to deflect the negative stereotype by whistling Vivaldi. The approach implies that by modifying the situation, we can improve perceptions and outcomes.
Steele’s interest in the subject originates from his personal experiences. He recollects his childhood in Chicago, in the 1950s, when he was a victim of racial discrimination. Through personal stories, experiments, and research studies, Steele discusses that being aware of negative stereotypes undermines our abilities to perform. For example, women taking a math test will perform worse when reminded that women are not expected to do well in math. Fear affects their ability to function. According to Steele, the intimidation factor diminishes cognitive resources. We use so much energy to endure the continuous barrage of negative perceptions that we are unable to perform to our potential. Ultimately, stress affects our physical, mental, and emotional health.
Steele outlines practical strategies for minimizing the stereotype threat in the academic sphere. He believes that positive role models can reduce the damaging effects of a negative stereotype. He advocates the value of fostering a belief in students that they can meet high standards, regardless of their identity.
