I just finished watching a presentation by Claude M. Steele called Identity and Stereotype Threat". Steele's research predominantly focused on the under-performance of groups, whose intellectual prowess is negatively stereotyped in academic settings.
According to Steele, social identities are situational and originate from social contingencies that continue to sustain the very identities they create. As an example, Steele highlights how black identity in the U.S. is informed by a minority status— demographically, historically, and socioeconomically. Taken out of an American context, black identity may take on new meanings, with a set of new social contingencies (Example: Being black in the U.S. vs. being black in a predominantly black country)
Steele asserts that we are especially cognizant of personal identities when they are under threat within a social contingency, especially when that contingency is a Stereotype Threat. Steele defines a Stereotype Threat as a fear of reinforcing negative stereotypes about one's identity. Within an academic setting, Steele illuminates how this fear leads to personal frustration that can undermine academic performance. Rather than feeling confident and at ease, people feel duress to to succeed in order to avoid fulfilling a negative stereotype associated with their identity.
As a minority entering tech, I occasionally feel susceptible to Stereotype Threat. As is, I'm relatively new to coding and occasionally get frustrated when material doesn't come as quickly or as easily to me as some of my peers. While the threat of being stereotyped isn't persistent at this juncture in my career, I'm acutely aware that it poses a much larger problem when entering the job market. Part of Steele's presentation was dedicated to creating safe spaces or positive encouragement to combat Stereotype Threat. In tech, more support groups and organizations are cropping up to help build self-confidence, such as Black Girl Code or Girl Develop It (both mentioned in an earlier blog). Personally, I'm learning that I need to cut myself some slack and view my own progress as a sense of validation.