BRIEF TITLE OF THE POSTER:

1
BRIEF TITLE OF THE POSTER Subtitle of the Poster
Student Name Faculty Name
ABSTRACT Women participants given a stigmatized
(i.e., heavy) or neutral appearance (via a
manipulated photograph) then tested as either the
only woman in their testing group (solo status)
or with other women (non-solo status). Women
performed more poorly when given a stigmatized
appearance and placed in solo status. Social
identity threat concerns mediated the solo status
effect on performance for women given a
stigmatized appearance.

• METHOD
• Women (N 111) placed in gender solo status or
  non-solo status using a photo grid (below).
• Appearance manipulated via altered digital
  photograph said to be seen by ones group
  members.
• Interact with group via computer system.
• Report social identity threat concerns.
• Take computerized test believing others can see
  ones performance.

RESULTS Performance Scores Solo status X
appearance condition interaction, F(1, 102)
7.92, p lt .01. The performance of women who
experienced solo status and a stigmatized
appearance was lower compared to when only one of
these factors was present. Mediation
Analysis Social identity threat concerns
mediated the effect of solo status on performance
for women given a stigmatized appearance (N
50). The mediated effect was significant, z(49)
-2.02, p lt .05.
DISCUSSION This experiment showed that solo
womens performance is impaired when they believe
their projected body image may be negatively
evaluated by their male group members. Social
Identity threat concerns mediated the effect of
solo status on performance for women given a
stimatized (i.e., heavy) appearance. Female solos
given the stigmatized appearance were more
concerned than non-solos that their group members
would view their performance through a gendered
lens. These concerns undermined womens test
performance, suggesting that the activation of
social identity threat is one mechanism through
which solo status debilitates the performance of
women who are concerned about their appearance.

• INTRODUCTION
• The performance of women is debilitated when they
  experience solo status (i.e., are the only women
  in the testing situation).
• Women who experience self-objectification also
  show test performance deficits.
• H1 Because the male gaze is thought to elicit
  self-objectification, womens performance may be
  derailed by body image concerns when performing
  before a male audience.
• Solo women who believe they project a stigmatized
  body appearance may experience social identity
  threat concerns, i.e., concern that a poor
  performance will provide confirmation of a
  stereotype. which in turn may debilitate test
  performance.
• H2 Social identity threat concern was tested as
  a mediating variable.

CONCLUSION These findings may aid our
understanding of womens under-representation in
certain fields, such as engineering, math, and
science. Women entering these fields are not only
likely to experience gender solo status but also
to face negative stereotypes about womens
ability in these areas. Because women often
perceive being judged in terms of their
appearance as well as ability, conditions are
ripe for women in non-traditional fields to
experience concerns about their body image in
combination with solo status. Our research
suggests that under these circumstances women
become concerned about being evaluated as a
woman, not as an individual, inducing social
identity threat and causing them to perform below
their potential.
Heavy Appearance (widened 20)
Normal Image
-.13, p .43 -.35, p lt .02
Participants normal or heavy image put in
photo array showing the other group members
(actually confederates) either all male (as shown
here) or all female
Performance
Solo Status
-.36, p lt .05
.60, p lt .01
Social Identity Threat Concerns
(in press, JESP. Beta for mediated path shown in
italics.)