Tuesday, October 25, 2011

WDS: The Art of Failure

Haley Scholar Reading Groups

By Cindy Lyles

Through the vividly expressed vignettes found in “The Art of Failure: Why Some People Choke and Others Panic,” Malcolm Gladwell explores the differences between choking versus panicking when one is under pressure. Gladwell succinctly summarizes the definitions of panicking and choking like this: “Panic…is the opposite of choking. Choking is about thinking too much. Panic is about thinking too little. Choking is about loss of instinct. Panic is reversion to instinct. They may look the same, but they are worlds apart” (269).

Gladwell later expounds in the article on his ideas about panicking and choking. In regards to choking specifically, he mentions that “stereotype threat” (275) can trigger a certain group to choke and underperform, especially when taking tests that marginalized students knowingly measure their aptitude and abilities as compared to others (e.g. black students on a standardized test versus white students, women on a math test versus men, white athletes physicality versus black athletes).

What's one of the more recent instances of “stereotype threat” have you noticed at SIUE, where failure occurred because second guesses became especially prominent? What outside assumptions influenced the under-performance, and in what ways can we challenge those notions in order to break free from a cycle of choking (or panicking)?

17 comments:

Katrina S said...

I really cannot think of a recent incident of "stereotype threat" at SIUE. However, "stereotype threat" can happen while taking an exam (especially because it is midterm time) or during a sport season for someone on a sports team. If a person feels like people are "watching" them or expecting them to fail, they may second guess their actions. I think outside expectations, real or imagined, are one of the driving forces behind choking.
By alleviating one's self of the outside expectations, it could help break the cycle of choking. Also pressure is another cause of choking and panicking. Taking away some of the pressure can stop or lessen the chocking and panicking factor.

Janssen Shaw said...

There have been a few instances on this campus and other campuses that I have visited in which "stereotype threat" has impacted performance. Whether it be at an open mic event or greek step show, I have witnessed certain individuals "choke" under various pressures put on them by the public. Honestly though, I feel like "stereotype threat" isn't always a bad thing. To me it seems that it could be a motivator in some situations. Some individuals or groups are held to higher expectations because they are considered to be one of the best. So if you are stereotyped in that fashion, it could potentially motivate you to perform at a much higher level. If I am understanding the concept correctly, in my opinion it goes both ways.

Wesley S said...

I haven't really paid attention to "stereotype threats" but I have had failures when it comes to test taking. I think the major reason "stereotype threats" exist is because of the pressure placed on us individually. Whether it's cultural or subconscious, sometimes the pressure becomes too much.

For myself, if I put pressure on myself to do good on a test, more times than not, the outcome won't be good. Even if I know the material or have the ability to do well, if I know that this particular test will make or break my grade, I sometimes succumb to either thinking about it too much (choking) or not immediately connecting the questions with what I know (panicking).

The way that works best for me is to simply not think too much. I try not to think about the consequences of doing poorly and instead just go through the test question by question and answer with the first thing that makes sense. If I start second guessing myself or feel as if I'm not capable, then the cycle of panicking and choking starts.

Jonathan W. said...

I personally haven't noticed any "stereotype threats"occurring at SIUE, however, I'm sure that they're prominent. I feel that minority students, especially those who are involved in pre-professional programs, are even more prone to the "stereotype threats" because they're under more pressure to perform well in order to help "associate" their ethnic group with the marginalized student category. Students who fall into this scheme are under the assumption that if they fail, there's not much hope for other people in their ethnic background to succeed which is a completely false. One way to challenge this would be to make it more known in society through blogs and different events. That way these marginalized students can further support their fellow classmates and athletes.

TaNeal Walls said...

I have witnessed and even felt some "stereotype threats" here at SIUe. A few weeks ago at a party that an African American Greek organization hosted I had a Caucasian friend who wanted to attend the party with me, and decided to meet up with me at the party. She brought herself and 2 others (who were also Caucasian.) Upon arriving at the party she called me to say she was outside. I told her to come inside and she will see me, however I never saw her not once that night. A few days later we talked on the phone and I asked her if she ever even came inside, she replied “no, there were too many black people; we thought we were going to get jumped or something." Irrefutably, this was an ignorant comment but it proves that these "stereotype threats" are more than present and active to SIUe students.
Stereotype threats occur every day whether they are expressed verbally, physically, or secretly. We can change this behavior if everyone puts effort toward making each other feel comfortable despite minority differences.

TaNeal Walls said...

I have witnessed and even felt some "stereotype threats" here at SIUe. A few weeks ago at a party that an African American Greek organization hosted I had a Caucasian friend who wanted to attend the party with me, and decided to meet up with me at the party. She brought herself and 2 others (who were also Caucasian.) Upon arriving at the party she called me to say she was outside. I told her to come inside and she will see me, however I never saw her not once that night. A few days later we talked on the phone and I asked her if she ever even came inside, she replied “no, there were too many black people; we thought we were going to get jumped or something." Irrefutably, this was an ignorant comment but it proves that these "stereotype threats" are more than present and active to SIUe students.
Stereotype threats occur every day whether they are expressed verbally, physically, or secretly. We can change this behavior if everyone puts effort toward making each other feel comfortable despite minority differences.

Abagail Thompson said...

For the past two summers, I have worked with incoming freshman through Springboard to Success. All of the students seemed eager and bright, but once the school year rolled around, many of them dropped out, or was suspended by the second semester. Even though I believe many factors play into this epidemic, I think one major factor is a “stereo-type threat.” The stereo-type threat that is harming the freshman retention rate is the false notion that freshman cannot compete in the austere academic world against upper classman. I believe that because freshman are viewed as incompetent, they begin to view themselves as incompetent and choke. Because they begin to choke, they do not fully apply themselves, thus leading to a slippery slope of poor academic progress.
I believe that there are already things in place to help the freshman thrive and feel capable of succeeding in the more adult world of academia. Programs like SOAR, and resource Centers like the Student Success Center are only a few of the programs assisting freshman to succeed and dissolve the stereo-type threat that challenges them. I also believe implementing stronger mentor programs would assist in building up the freshman’s confidence, and allow them to interact more closely with upper freshman and break down the stigma of inferiority.

Monique Williams said...

My most recent instance of stereotype threat was when I decided to take a "adult development and aging psychology class." I heard from many outside sources that this class was going to be extremely difficult and it is very rarely that a person receives an "A". I was extremely nervous about the exams in this classroom. I studied the material thoroughly, but was still distracted from the information I received from outside sources about this class.

On the exams, I found myself second guessing myself on a couple of questions and I believe this was a result of the stereotype threat. I needed to follow my instincts, because their usually accurate. Gladly, I did receive an "A" on the exam, but could have done better if I would not have second guessed myself.

Stereotype threats are a part of our everyday life and I think many people fail to notice their affects on our behavior. I am currently taking social psychology which addresses these issues, and it has made me much more aware of these threats. I believe the best solution for this problem is to be aware of the stereotype threats, and always follow your instincts.

Tia S said...

There aren't any recent "stereotyped threats" that I've noticed, but I know they're out there. There's always that person who, for whatever reason, is expected to fail. When that person is aware of the negative expectations, it can feel like there's a weight on their shoulders. Unfortunately, they can feel like they're suffocating from the pressure and that's when the choking or panicking can occur.

I feel that we can avoid failures from "stereotype threats" by looking at it a different way. Because of my race and gender, I know that there are people out there who expect me to fail. I see their assumptions as a challenge though. I use it as a motivation because I know that they are wrong and I plan to prove it. When I do succeed I feel good because it's like I told them, "I did it and you couldn't hold me back". So I think that people would have more success than failure if they let these threats motivate them instead of put them down.

Gabrielle S. said...

In class "stereotype threat" is evident to me during presentations. Certain students are notorious for being the smartest kids in our class. Sometimes they put too much pressure on themselves to perform in extraordinary ways. Some students are jealous of these gifted students and they want them to mess up. This can put extra pressure on someone, which can inevitably cause them to "choke". It's okay for these students to hold themselves at higher standards, but they shouldn't push themselves so much that they are extremely uncomfortable. It is also important to slow down and be confident in your abilities to avoid "choking" in situations such as this.

Chico Weber said...

SIUE has such a diverse group of students that its hard to notice stereotype threats when they are present. We may have expectations of certain people due to the color of their skin, their degree, and how they act in public. A common instance occurs during exam time. Certain students may feel like they have to perform better than the rest of the class due to expectations and because of this extra pressure they end up doing worse.
In public I feel differently when I interact with people of the same origin as myself than I would with others. There is less pressure between us due to a connecting that is evident from the moment we meet.
We can break free from this cycle of panic and choking by not caring what others think. Your performance is for yourself whether its for a class or for a team you work with. Your success defines you and you define your own success. You might find that when you are able to accept your own standards you are able to step beyond the standards of others.

Anonymous said...

Nia W.

Being the Vice President of a campus organization this year, I've noticed and experienced "stereotype threat" from being a new organization versus the older organizations. Being a new organization, people expect us to be unorganized, clueless, and not to last very long. Whereas older established campus organizations know what they are doing and continue to succeed because they had people there to guide them from the previous years.
It is very hard to get things up and running smoothly if you have never run anything before. In order to succeed as an organization, everyone should be motivated and want the same thing for the organization. Knowing and hearing what everyone thinks about and expects of us being a new organization that alone influences us to work twice as hard to ensure that our organization does succeed and not fail.
We must be prepared and organized to keep the cycle going, we must train those with potential and passion to run the organization when we are gone so that we do not fall short of others negative stereotypes.

Gabe Taylor said...

A "stereotype threat" that I have found especially prominent here at SIUE is a hometown based one. For all the students I've known coming out of underprivileged hometowns, it often seems like the expectations are lower. Fewer students rise up to meet the bar, let alone surpass it. However, if you come from a place where you are expected to succeed, you are given the resources that you need when you need them. All too often, it seems like these underprivileged students "choke" when they need or want to ask for resources- they feel nearly helpless. Being able to use these resources anonymously (maybe even online) can lessen the pressure felt when needing to ask for help.

Anonymous said...

At SIUE, and many other universities, I think that everyone experiences some sort of stereotype threat. People feel like they are expected to perform to a certain degree to maintain their reputation based on their backgrounds and how they compare themselves to others. It is this pressure to fit it and please others that may cause an individual to perform differently than they otherwise would. I believe that sometimes this pressure can be a positive thing that you can use to improve your actions. However, sometimes the pressure can be to great, causing one to choke or panic. A way to combat this problem would be to disregard others' demanding expectations and forgot about this unneeded pressure to please others. You should strive to do your best for yourself, regardless of what others may think.
Derek Twesten

Daniel Shields said...

I have seen several stereotype threats on this campus. Since becoming greek and becoming more involved in greek activities on and off campus I have seen people react to assumptions about blacks and black Greeks. The notorious Alestle story and pictures about the "greek fight" that never happened are a good example of stereotype threats that many believe to be true. We have to help knock these down. as well as educational and social stereotypes.

Jaron W. said...

There could be ample situations that a "stereotype threat" may occur. Things such as our cougar karaoke competitions, performances within our dance and theatre program, sporting events, etc. Whenever one is expected to perform or score on a certain level that could possibly be at too high of a standard, it may cause them to panic or choke and not allow them to perform at their highest level. As mentioned before, sometimes our thoughts get in the way and we over think the situation, when we indeed have the ability to reach those high expectations. It would be a good idea to just perform or play for yourself and not for other people. Do not get caught up in the opinions of your peers, but instead focus on the man in the mirror and what you want to achieve for yourself. Being self-accountable is key to performing your best whether it be a sport, recital, or taking an exam for school.

Christ. V said...

The media has an impact on how individuals react to a certain idea or even about a genre of people, generally. Also, due to the fact that no one want thinks aloud about their stereotypes, they often are thinking it in their heads. Stereotype threats that I have seen are African Americans who are wrongly stereotyped as people who steal or do wrong things. Counter to that, there are many out there who work hard for their belongings and who have a different outlook on life. I think that we can promote a sense of togetherness if we all forget about what happened in the past, and focus on the present and future. This allows us to stop worrying and to start being more knowledgeable and be accepting of others.