Can Stereotype Threat Be Measured? A Validation of the Social Identities and Attitudes Scale (SIAS)

Abstract

This study reported the development and validation of the Social Identities and Attitudes Scale (SIAS)—a stereotype threat susceptibility measure. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses conducted with college students revealed that the scale, which constitutes six key ST moderators, possessed strong psychometric properties. The SIAS makes it possible for researchers to establish a baseline for measuring ST susceptibility and, subsequently, the impact of interventions attempting to reduce it. It provides researchers with the means to tease ST effects apart, differentiate between levels of ST risk (e.g., low, moderate, high), and facilitate the development of specialized interventions for different ST risk levels. Its use as a tool for identifying high-risk ST individuals might also be useful for mixed methods research seeking to understand contextual factors that exacerbate ST for these individuals and, importantly, how they respond to these environments.