The term stereotype threat describes the psychological phenomenon in which a person worries that they could prove to be a member of a negative stereotype about the group with which they identify. In the academic and professional spheres, stereotype threat is a major factor in the persistence of inequality in terms of success and access to resources across racial, ethnic, gender, and cultural groups. It has been shown that interventions such as educating about stereotype danger and growth mindset, adopting self-affirmation tasks, and identifying positive role models counter stereotype threat.
Steele and Aronson conducted the first research on this effect. It compared the test scores of black and white students on a 30-minute exam based on questions from the verbal part of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Steele and Aronson (1995 cited in Heaning, 2022) opted for this method as a direct reaction to the pervasive but false assumption that black pupils are intellectually inferior to their white counterparts. Researchers expected that when black students were primed with the assumption that the exam was diagnostic of intellectual capacity, they would do lower than white students, given the stereotype threat against black students’ academic skills. Their results supported proposed hypotheses, demonstrating that black individuals fared worse than white participants on tests categorized as diagnostic of intellectual capacity but similarly well on tests designated as non-diagnostic (Steele and Aronson, 1995 cited in Heaning, 2022). Thus, they initiated proper scientific research on the subject of stereotype threat.
Due to Instagram’s increased popularity among millennials, Zappos, an online store in Las Vegas, has begun using it as a recruiting tool. By creating the @zinternships account and periodically updating it with details like the application deadline, Zappos hopes to attract interns interested in learning about the company’s culture and the intern program (Fountain, n.d.). Companies may be more innovative in their recruiting strategies when unrestricted by geography. The lack of censorship means that anybody can see the company’s postings, and there is no telling whether the individual met on social media will be a good match for the job. The best method of recruiting may vary from publication to publication. Instagram HRMs may use a more visual approach to introducing the firm and the position(s) available and hence use less written content. Linkedin may also prioritize textual information over images when it comes to hiring.
References
Fountain Blog. (n.d.). Best examples of companies using social media for recruiting. Web.
Heaning, E. (2022). Stereotype threat: Definition and examples. Simply Psychology. Web.