Kunal Mahajan: Dev BootCamp
"The tale of my journey on becoming a Junior Web Developer..."
DBC-Cultural Blog:
Date: 08.14.15
Entry #: 5
Commentary:
I wanted to talk about something called 'Stereotype Threat'. The gist of what stereotype threat is, "Stereotype threat refers to being at risk of confirming, as self-characteristic, a negative stereotype about one's group." (Steele & Aronson, 1995). The long-term effect of one who accepts these threats is educational and social inequality. These threats pose danger especially when one is relatively new to circumstances -whether a new job or a new social environment like school where one tries their best to 'fit in'. During these times, one can be made most vulnerable and as such will oft be willing to let go of stereotypes in order to fit into their niche's. The dangers of conforming to these stereotypes are obviously negative and pressure to avoid threats by cutting them off at the bud are tricky situations to overcome.
The best way to avoid these tricky situations is to be honest with yourself and present your self-goals during times of wanting to fit in. Being open and honest with yourself with your goals presents a much stronger argument than wanting to fit in socially. For instance, a social injustice -stereotypically, is found that women aren't as good in Maths as their male counterparts. Well, if you're a female and want to pursue Maths, succombing to the notion that you're not 'supposed' to be in the field will not only demotivate you, but also harm you in the long-run with the possibility of male counterparts being able to walk over you and you not being able to stand up for yourself. Knowing what you want, knowing who you are, and knowing what's important will help overcome threats that will likely bombard you...simply because of your gender/race/or skin color. Make sure you arm yourself with knowledge, as it will pull you out of the darkest of holes!