Stereotype Threat in Applied Selection Settings: A Commentary

This commentary attempts to put the studies in this special issue in context. First, prior work by industrial-organizational psychologists on stereotype threat (ST) is briefly described. Second, the features differentiating the studies in this special issue from prior work on ST are outlined, and possible explanations for differences between the findings in these studies and prior work are discussed. Third, several methodological features of the studies in this issue are emphasized with the goal of influencing subsequent work on this topic. Finally, difficulties in using the ST experimental paradigm in applied settings are outlined, and possible strategies for examining threat in applied settings are examined.