Students young and old often feel ashamed of placement in remedial courses because the placement, no matter how well-intentioned and accurate, implies they are less smart than peers. Society commonly stereotypes developmental students as being slow, even though such placement does not necessarily show low intelligence. The placement itself or even the name of the course, "developmental reading," for example, can cue awareness of the stereotype which then triggers the defensive mindset, Steele suggests. Other stereotypes can actually lead to placement in remedial classes.
Black students often fall victim to the stereotype that blacks are less intelligent than whites, which may contribute to their placement in remedial courses. In a study published in 2006 in the "Journal of Applied Psychology," researchers Ryan P. Brown and Eric A. Day gave a group of black and white students of equal abilities a visual IQ test. Students were told that it was a test of intelligence. The black students scored significantly lower than the white students. When researchers gave another group of black and white students the same test, telling them this time that it was a set of puzzles rather than an IQ test, black and white students performed equally well on it. The researchers concluded that calling the test an IQ assessment cued the stereotype, hurting the performance of the black students in the first group.
Girls and women also fight the stereotype that they are less good at math and science than males, and may be another problem with remedial placement. When subtle cues in the environment trigger awareness of that stereotype, female students with abilities equal to their male peers tend to do worse in math and science than male peers, according to Steele. Since all groups are stereotyped, men, too, can feel threatened by stereotype. For instance, male students might do less well on assessments in subjects deemed to be feminine, such as language and fine arts, simply because they feel threatened by that stereotype.
Greg Walton, an assistant professor of psychology at Stanford University who has taught remedial courses and researches how psychological processes contribute to social problems, published a list of scientifically supported ways for all educators to reduce stereotype threat. One strategy is to avoid triggering anxiety over stereotypes in the learning environment. Also, teachers must frequently tell and show students that diversity enriches the classroom and society. Assessments, such as standardized texts, must avoid gender, race, geographic and socioeconomic bias and must be presented as fair and as tools for learning. Educators should also teach students about the threat posed by stereotypes and help them to manage their feelings so that they can perform to their potential.