What is stereotype threat? It is a condition that can affect minorities and women in which their performance of a task can confirm a negative stereotype of their group despite their abilities being better. This performance hit is caused by anxiety caused by having to prove an attribute, like intelligence, and thinking that it would be viewed in racial or gender terms.

Stereotype threat exists in the mind of the person experiencing it. But has its origin in what the person has been told, read or learned in their life, often as a child. A girl may be told that she is not capable at math because she is a girl. So she can experience stereo threat when she has to take a math test. Or worse, may not even sign up for the math class.

For technical careers, stereotype threat can keep women and minorities from pursuing careers in this field. It can even affect the enrollment into programs like the one at Dev Bootcamp. Keeping otherwise interested students from even applying.

The solution for this is complex. A lot of this is experienced in a person's mind. Making them aware of stereotype threat can help them overcome the effects. Educators and employers can help by having programs to address this awareness and teach methods to deal with it. And they can frame tests in terms that reduce stereotype threat.