Why do African Americans and Latinos underperform compared to whites on standardized tests and in school?  Explanations for this problem typically point to economic, cultural, and educational factors — or even to group differences in intelligence.  Although some of these factors contribute to underperformance, they do not tell the whole story.  Performance deficits often occur even when African American and White students are equated on preparation, skill, and other background factors. Steele & Aronson, (1995) and others have empirically demonstrated the influence of a psychological factor operating in testing situations, a self-evaluative predicament we call "stereotype threat."  Stereotype threat is an apprehension about confirming the widely-held stereotype alleging intellectual inferiority that arises when an African American or Latino (or any ability-stigmatized individual) is made aware that his or her intellectual performance is the subject of evaluative scrutiny. 

            In this presentation I will discuss recent research on stereotype threat, including it's development, some moderating factors, and its application to the educational difficulties of 6^th graders, middle schoolers, and college students.