Using Laboratory and Field Experiments to Examine the Impact of Stereotypes

This article offers a methodological exploration of the experimental approach in social science research, with a focus on studies that explore the economic impact of stereotypes. The latter are widely held but fixed and oversimplified images pertaining to social groups. The prevalence of such beliefs which may on average be incorrect, may lead to significant losses in economic efficiency and sub-optimal social and developmental outcomes. In this context, experiments provide a controlled environment to isolate causal relationships, enabling researchers to identify the effects of stereotypes on behaviour and performance. In studies of stereotype threat, for example, laboratory and field experiments allow the manipulation of identity salience and other contextual factors to observe their impact on outcomes such as cognitive performance, effort, and decision-making. As real-world micro data on the behaviour of agents within institutions is difficult to capture and metricize, experiments allow scholars an easy and rigorous way to test theoretical models and investigate mechanisms underlying complex social phenomena particularly in the study of inter-group discrimination in labour markets.