We all know stereotypes. Stereotypes can be seen as positive or negative.

These
stereotypes affect us all, whether we know it or not. In Claude Steeles book Whistling
Vivaldi he shows how these stereotypes affect us and how our different backgrounds can
mold us.
The main focus of the book is on how stereotypes can affect us. Steele came to a
conclusion that stereotypes inhibit ones performance on a test. He did numerous studies
where he would give a challenging test to a group of people who have a negative
stereotype against their intelligence or certain ability (ex: blacks, females, etc.) and told
one group that it was not a measure of intellect and the other group that it was. The group
where he took the pressure of the test measuring intellect always did better. The group
that did not have to worry about the test measuring intellect did better because they were
not worried about contributing to the stereotype threat that faced them, people
experiencing stigma pressure actually worried about confirming the negative group
stereotype. The stereotypes were hurting them and when the pressure was relieved,
when they did not have to worry about conforming to a stereotypical mold they have felt
the pressures of. All they needed was relief from the pressure of a stereotype.
There are many places, around the world, and even right here in America where
education is not equal. There are many students who are not provided the same academic
opportunities or who cannot access the same level of education that other students might
take for granted. Steele commented on this saying, Education is not equal in this society,
in either access or quality. Socioeconomic disadvantage, segregating social practices, and

restrictive cultural orientations have all dampened the educational opportunities of some
groups more than others, historically and in ongoing ways. These lack of opportunities
can lead to poor test performance, lack of academic confidence, and under achieving. By
causing these things, people on the outside form a stereotype by looking from the outside
and not realizing that this poorer performance is not based on a persons race or sex but
by their academic opportunities.

These stereotypes can be very dangerous. They can lead to a women

underperforming in or even shying away from a math class. They can lead to a black
student feeling like they do not belong at a prestigious (majority white) university. They
can lead to white athletes to underperform. They can lead to Asian students who might
not excel in math to feel like less of a person. Stereotypes can break a person. Steele
noted this saying that [stereotypes] invades the persons whole identity. Stereotypes can
destroy a persons self-esteem.
Steele presents many thought provoking arguments and gives information that can
change how we look at stereotypes and groups of people. Prejudice and stereotypes can
affect us more than we know, and through Steeles experiments, we can learn new ways
on how to undo stereotypes and present less pressure on minority groups.