TY - JOUR
T1 - Reality Stems From Modality
T2 - Stereotype Threat Effects of a STEM Game in Augmented and Virtual Reality
AU - Ratan, Rabindra
AU - Boumis, Josephine K.
AU - Kuang, Sarah
AU - Gambino, Andrew
AU - Huang, Kuo Ting
N1 - Funding information:
This research was partially supported by the Honors College at Michigan State University. The funding came in the form of a gift and the funders were not involved in the study design in any way. We would also like to thank the AT&T endowment to the Media and Information Department at MSU for supporting Dr. Ratan’s AT&T Scholar position.
Publisher copyright:
© 2021 Ratan, Boumis, Kuang, Gambino and Huang.
PY - 2021/8/12
Y1 - 2021/8/12
N2 - This study examined the relationship between stereotype threat, game modality (augmented reality, virtual reality), and stereotypic beliefs about STEM fields. Results of a 2 [modality] x 2 [stereotype threat] factorial, between-subjects experiment with women participants (N = 64) suggest that gender stereotypes primed before playing the STEM game in AR induced stereotype threat, but induced stereotype reactance in VR. Specifically, for participants who played in AR, the stereotype-reinforcing prompt (compared to a counter-stereotype prompt) was associated with worse STEM-game performance, which mediated an increase in stereotypical beliefs about women in STEM. Conversely, for participants who played in VR, the stereotype-reinforcing prompt was associated with better STEM-game performance and more positive (i.e., counter-stereotypic) beliefs about women in STEM, though without mediation. These findings support the claim that stereotypes triggered in a STEM-gaming context have the potential to reinforce stereotypes in STEM fields. Researchers and practitioners should consider the implication that VR is potentially more male-stereotyped than AR, while AR makes stereotyped identity characteristics more accessible than VR.
AB - This study examined the relationship between stereotype threat, game modality (augmented reality, virtual reality), and stereotypic beliefs about STEM fields. Results of a 2 [modality] x 2 [stereotype threat] factorial, between-subjects experiment with women participants (N = 64) suggest that gender stereotypes primed before playing the STEM game in AR induced stereotype threat, but induced stereotype reactance in VR. Specifically, for participants who played in AR, the stereotype-reinforcing prompt (compared to a counter-stereotype prompt) was associated with worse STEM-game performance, which mediated an increase in stereotypical beliefs about women in STEM. Conversely, for participants who played in VR, the stereotype-reinforcing prompt was associated with better STEM-game performance and more positive (i.e., counter-stereotypic) beliefs about women in STEM, though without mediation. These findings support the claim that stereotypes triggered in a STEM-gaming context have the potential to reinforce stereotypes in STEM fields. Researchers and practitioners should consider the implication that VR is potentially more male-stereotyped than AR, while AR makes stereotyped identity characteristics more accessible than VR.
KW - augmented and virtual reality
KW - experiment
KW - video games
KW - STEM games
KW - stereotype threat and reactance
U2 - 10.3389/frvir.2021.636643
DO - 10.3389/frvir.2021.636643
M3 - Journal article
SN - 2673-4192
VL - 2
JO - Frontiers in Virtual Reality
JF - Frontiers in Virtual Reality
M1 - 636643
ER -