Individual Differences Research

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Individual Differences Research > Volume 22 (2024) > e22005

Adult Innumeracy: Are Students' Arithmetic Scores Affected by Gender-Related Stereotype Threat or IQ?

Viviane L. Falardeau, Lionel G. Standing 

Abstract

Based on past studies of the effect of stereotype threat upon test scores, this study examined the performance of female undergraduates (N = 40) on the D'Amore Test of elementary arithmetic, and the Wonderlic IQ test, after reading a stereotypically negative or positive gender-related prime. Overall, 67.5% of the subjects failed the D'Amore Test, a figure in agreement with the results of previous studies. No effect of the stereotyped priming articles was found on math scores, and no consistent correlation of D'Amore scores was found with IQ scores. No evidence was found that emotional or cognitive ability factors, rather than poor math skills, are responsible for failures on the D'Amore Test.

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Keywords

Stereotype threat;

Gender differences;

Academic performance;

Arithmetic skills;

Intelligence testing;

Cognitive ability;

Undergraduate students