Avi Ben Zeev - Stereotype Threat

Avi Ben-Zeev, a psychology professor, discusses his expertise in cognitive psychology, focusing on stereotype threat. He shares his personal journey from a construction worker family in Israel to academia in the U.S., highlighting the anxiety and fear of success he faced. Avi explains stereotype threat, a phenomenon where individuals from underrepresented groups feel pressure to perform well to avoid confirming negative stereotypes, leading to increased anxiety and underperformance. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and combating this issue.

What is Avi Ben-Zeev's area of expertise?

• Cognitive Psychology

• Clinical Psychology

• Developmental Psychology

• Social Psychology

What was Avi Ben-Zeev's initial reason for attending college?

• To join his partner at Brown

• To follow his family's expectations

• To stay in the United States

• To pursue a career in psychology

What fear did Avi Ben-Zeev experience during his college years?

• Fear of disappointing his family

• Fear of not fitting in

• Fear of being discovered as a fraud

• Fear of failure

What is stereotype threat?

• A fear of public speaking

• A fear of social interactions

• A fear of confirming negative stereotypes about one's group

• A fear of academic success

What physiological effect can stereotype threat cause?

• Enhanced memory retention

• Improved concentration

• Increased cortisol reactivity

• Decreased heart rate