Stereotype threat theory suggests that a negative stereotype about a social group can undermine the performance of group members in a stereotype-relevant domain. The present research examines this in the domain of second language (L2) competence. Two studies were conducted to test the effects of stereotype threat on L2 performance in a group of Italian-speaking people living in Alto Adige/Südtirol (AA/ST), a bilingual region of Italy. Participants were members of the Italian-speaking community who are generally not very proficient in L2 (i.e., German). When reminded of the negative stereotype, participants who highly identified with the domain (i.e., German language; Study 1) and those who believed that their linguistic group was in a disadvantaged position in AA/ST (Study 2) underperformed in a German language test. These findings are discussed in relation with people’s mastery of L2 in bilingual contexts and their consequences for the study of stereotype threat.

Second language competence of the Italian-speaking population of Alto Adige/Sudtirol: evidence for a linguistic stereotype threat / Paladino, Maria Paola; Poddesu, L; Rauzi, M; Vaes, Jeroen Andre Filip; Cadinu, M; Forer, D.. - In: JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. - ISSN 0261-927X. - 28:(2009), pp. 222-243. [10.1177/0261927X09335333]

Second language competence of the Italian-speaking population of Alto Adige/Sudtirol: evidence for a linguistic stereotype threat

Paladino, Maria Paola;Vaes, Jeroen Andre Filip;
2009-01-01

Abstract

Stereotype threat theory suggests that a negative stereotype about a social group can undermine the performance of group members in a stereotype-relevant domain. The present research examines this in the domain of second language (L2) competence. Two studies were conducted to test the effects of stereotype threat on L2 performance in a group of Italian-speaking people living in Alto Adige/Südtirol (AA/ST), a bilingual region of Italy. Participants were members of the Italian-speaking community who are generally not very proficient in L2 (i.e., German). When reminded of the negative stereotype, participants who highly identified with the domain (i.e., German language; Study 1) and those who believed that their linguistic group was in a disadvantaged position in AA/ST (Study 2) underperformed in a German language test. These findings are discussed in relation with people’s mastery of L2 in bilingual contexts and their consequences for the study of stereotype threat.
2009
Paladino, Maria Paola; Poddesu, L; Rauzi, M; Vaes, Jeroen Andre Filip; Cadinu, M; Forer, D.
Second language competence of the Italian-speaking population of Alto Adige/Sudtirol: evidence for a linguistic stereotype threat / Paladino, Maria Paola; Poddesu, L; Rauzi, M; Vaes, Jeroen Andre Filip; Cadinu, M; Forer, D.. - In: JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY. - ISSN 0261-927X. - 28:(2009), pp. 222-243. [10.1177/0261927X09335333]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11572/100641
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