a group of French high school students was asked to rate the truth of stereotypes about gender difference in talent in maths and the arts before rating their own abilities in these domains. So, for these students, gender stereotypes were very salient as they rated their own ability. Next, they were asked to report their scores in maths and the arts on a very important national standardised test taken about two years earlier. Unlike students in a control condition, those in the stereotype-salient group altered the memory of their own objective achievements to fit the well-known stereotype. The
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Fine (the author) is at her best when summarising studies that demonstrate people are dreadful at understanding themselves. Just look at how stereotypes can hurt people! Ugh. And to think that we encounter such stereotypes on billboards, adverts, TV, and games every day.
