This study examined the physiological effects of stereotype threat on white undergraduate students completing an implicit association test (IAT) that measured racial biases. Forty students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions that varied in how the IAT was described. The IAT measured reaction times and accuracy when pairing positive and negative words with white and black faces. Physiological responses like heart rate and galvanic skin response were also recorded. Results showed students were faster and more accurate when positive words were paired with white faces and negative words with black faces, consistent with implicit racial biases. However, there were no significant differences in physiological responses between the word-face pairings. While reaction times decreased when pairings were reversed, this was not linked to

1. "Trump supporters are racist!": the
psychophysiological effects of stereotype
threat
Hannah Weber, W. Harrison Hazelwood, Kathryn Darby Cooksey, Bethany Jurs
Ph.D.,
Iva Katzarska-Miller, Ph.D.
Transylvania University
Methods
Participants
We ran 40 Transylvania University Undergraduate (18-22 years)
Students:
30 are female and 85.2% are white.
Design
Three groups vary on description of IAT
-Deception: This study compares your attitudes toward two different
racial groups. It is a measure of racial bias…
-True: This study measures knowledge of cultural stereotypes…
-No Information: This is a challenging task, but it’s
necessary for the aim of this study…
Categorization Task:
Recorded Measures:
-Behavioral: RT & Acc
-Physiological: Heart Rate & Galvanic Response
-Biopac System
Good Bad
glorious
20x1
20x1
African European
American American
African European
American / American /
Good Bad
30x2
European African
American American
20x1
European African
American / American /
Good Bad
agony
30x2
Instructions
1 Minute Rest
1 Minute Rest
Instructions
Instructions
Instructions
1 Minute Rest
1 Minute Rest
20x1
20x1
30x2
20x1
30x2
Introduction
Stereotype threat: a feeling of apprehension that occurs when
individuals feel that their behavior could confirm negative beliefs
generally held about their group and reflect poorly on their personal
character.
Previous study: Frantz et al. 2004
• Used the IAT to elicit a stereotype threat from White participants.
• Researchers suspected physiological anxiety as contributing factor
Goal
Our goal is to assess how an individual’s perception of a task affects
their performance and physiological anxiety response while
completing a race IAT test, indicating possible connections to
stereotype threat
Discussion
Results
References:
Frantz, C. M., Cuddy, A. J., Burnett, M., Ray, H., & Hart, A. (2004).
A threat in the computer: The race implicit association test as
a stereotype threat experience. Personality and Social
Psychology Bulletin, 30(12), 1611-1624.
• Across groups participants were faster and more accurate when
pairing Good and White and Bad and Black. There were no
significant group effects.
• No physiological change between pairing conditions.
• Positive Correlation (trend level) between change in the
maximum heart rate and change in reaction time across pair
conditions.
• Replicate traditional IAT behavioral results and show
participants implicitly associate Good with White and Bad
with Black.
• However, this decreased behavior in the reverse condition is
not connected with a change in physiological activity.
• Argue against Franz et al: decreased performance is not
attributed to an increase in physiological anxiety.
r = -.11 r = .29