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.