Exploring the effects of stereotype threat in the context of digital gaming Linda K. Kaye & Charlotte R. Pennington (Edge Hill University, UK) Introduction Participants 81 online gamers; 60 females and 21 male controls Materials Social Identity as an online gamer: Three dimensional strength of group identification scale (Cameron, 2004) Implicit gender-gaming competence attitudes: Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald et al., 1998). Gameplay performance: number of accumulated coins collected after five minutes of play on a 2D “jump and run side-scroller game (SuperTux) Procedure Findings Discussion References Cameron, J. (2004). A three factor model of social identity. Self and Identity, 3(3), doi: / Greenwald, A. G., McGhee, D. E., & Schwartz, J. L. K. (1998). Measuring individual differences in implicit cognition: The Implicit Association Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1464–1480. doi: / Nguyen, H. H., & Ryan, A. M. (2008). Does stereotype threat affect the performance of minorities and women? A meta-analysis of experimental evidence. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93, doi: /a Rydell, R. J., & Boucher, K. L. (2010). Capitalizing on multiple social identities to prevent stereotype threat: The moderating role of self-esteem. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36, doi: / Rydell, R. J., McConnell, A. R., & Beilock, S. L. (2009). Multiple social identities and stereotype threat: Imbalance, accessibility, and working memory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 5, doi: /a Steele, C. M., & Aronson, J. (1995). Stereotype threat and the intellectual test performance of African Americans. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69 (5), doi: / Social identity Methodology Stereotype threat condition Threat Multiple social identities Control Male Control Implicit gender-gaming competence attitudes Gameplay performance A significant main effect of condition was found on gameplay performance, F(3, 81) = 11.43, p <.001 ƞ 2 p =.31 Males outperformed females in the control and in the stereotype threat conditions, p <.001. However, the intervention of multiple social identities successfully protected females’ performance relative to the stereotype threat condition p <.05. p <.05 A significant main effect of condition was obtained on implicit attitudes toward gender-gaming competence, F(1, 81) = 10.12, p <.001, ƞ 2 p =.28. Females in the control condition implicitly endorsed that females were competent gamers compared to the males in the control condition, who reported that males were more competent, p <.001. Furthermore, both females in the stereotype and multiple social identities conditions endorsed greater female gaming competency compared to males in the control condition, both p <.05. “Stereotype threat” refers to situations in which individuals’ performance may be hindered by stereotype-salient cues (Steele & Aronson, 1995). Decades of research has now demonstrated the pervasive effects that negative stereotypes exert on targeted individuals (c.f., Nguyen & Ryan, 2008). To date, however, no research has examined this effect within the context of digital gaming, particularly towards female gamers, who are arguably a stigmatized group within this context. Further, it is unknown the extent of implicit negative attitudes regarding females’ competence in this domain, and whether females themselves endorse attitudes that pertain to male competence relative to their own gender group. Of interest here are the principles of “multiple social identities” and the way in which individuals of stigmatized groups may capitalize on more positive aspects of their identity, and concurrently dissociate from the identity under threat (Rydell et al., 2009; Rydell & Boucher, 2010). From this perspective, this may serve as a protective strategy under conditions of stereotype threat. In line with these principles, the current research had a threefold remit; 1), to examine the effect that stereotype threat exerts on female gamers’ performance; 2), to explore the utility of multiple social identities in alleviating stereotype threat effects; 3), to examine whether stereotype threat heightens implicit gender stereotypical attitudes related to female incompetence in gameplay, and whether this view is already endorsed by male gamers. Multiple social identities successfully alleviated the performance detriments relative to the threat-only condition, suggesting the malleability of identities is a pertinent practical strategy in digital gaming contexts Same-sex bias pertaining to implicit gender-gaming competence was found. Thus females’ attitudes towards their own gender group’s competence may serve as a protective factor under threat condition Further research is needed to examine moderating factors on the threat-performance link in digital gaming contexts. For example, gaming self-efficacy, and subjective competence beliefs may serve to moderate this link. The presentation of games themselves is one practical means of assessing implicit primes on gaming outcomes. Manipulation of gender-salient cues may serve to enhance threat effects within digital gaming environments.