Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 14(4) 447–459 © The Author(s) 2011 Reprints and permission: sagepub. co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1368430210382680 gpir.sagepub.com Article G P I R Group Processes & Intergroup Relations Many women and members of other stereotyped groups are so threatened by the prospect of con- firming a pernicious stereotype that they do not perform up to their actual abilities (Steele, 1997; Steele, Spencer, & Aronson, 2002). Fortunately, researchers have identified several effective inter- ventions that reliably alleviate the performance deficits associated with stereotype threat. One effective intervention to counter stereotype threat involves exposure to successful real (Marx & Roman, 2002) or fictitious role models (McIntyre, Paulson, & Lord, 2003). When Barack Obama’s Article 382680GPI XX X 10.1177/1368430210382680Taylor et al.Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 1 Texas Christian University 2 Wayne State University 3 Texas Woman’s University Corresponding author: Charles G. Lord, Department of Psychology, Texas Christian University, TCU 298920, Fort Worth, TX 76129, USA Email: c.lord@tcu.edu The Hillary Clinton effect: When the same role model inspires or fails to inspire improved performance under stereotype threat Cheryl A. Taylor, 1 Charles G. Lord, 1 Rusty B. McIntyre 2 and René M. Paulson 3 Abstract If successful role models undo stereotype threat effects by providing reassurance that group members can “take care of themselves,” then the same real-world role model might inspire those who think she deserved success, but fail to inspire those who think she did not. In a pilot study, some women participants listed Hillary Clinton high among women who deserved their success; others listed her high among women who did not deserve their success. The former participants, but not the latter, claimed her success came from internal and stable causes and would inspire them in difficult situations. In the main study, women rated how much Hillary Clinton deserved her success. One month later, they were placed under mathematics stereotype threat, read a factual biography of Hillary Clinton, and took a GRE-Q test. Those who had earlier claimed Clinton deserved her success scored as well as a test-only control group; those who had earlier claimed she did not deserve her success scored as poorly as a threat-only control group. The results are seen as contributing to theories of role models, stereotype threat, and attribution. Keywords role models, attribution, stereotype threat Paper received 12 November 2009; revised version accepted 09 July 2010. by guest on April 4, 2016 gpi.sagepub.com Downloaded from