Onzeker over mijn vaardigheden. Hoe processen gerelateerd aan stereotypering de duidelijkheid, het vertrouwen, en de stabiliteit van het zelf-concept wat betreft vaardigheden beïnvloedt

While researchers have been aware of the disproportionate drop-out among minoritized groups during crucial stages of their education and work trajectory for some time, the potential role of certainty of the ability self-concept in relation to these unequal outcomes has been underexamined. This is despite indications that the ability to clearly, confidently, and consistently view one's abilities is crucial for pursuit in a domain, and indications that the possibility of stereotyping may interfere in this process. In this dissertation it was investigated whether members of negatively stereotyped groups may be more susceptible for developing a less clear, confident, and stable self-concept of their abilities due to stereotype-related processes. The first two empirical chapters of this dissertation focused on the role of perceiving feedback as reliable in developing a clear, confident, and stable ability self-concept. Chapter 2 showed that feedback about one's abilities that is potentially influenced by stereotyping is less incorporated into the ability self-concept, and induces more feelings of uncertainty with regards to one's abilities. Chapter 3 examined perceptions of feedback reliability in a daily work setting. Results demonstrated that suspicions about the accuracy and honesty of feedback are more prominent in competitive (vs. collaborative) work environments, with associated reduced daily clarity, confidence, and stability of the ability self-concept as well as motivation and risk-taking. The second two empirical chapters of this dissertation examined which social-identity factors could underlie a less clear, confident, and stable ability self-concept. Chapter 4 demonstrated that people who are more stereotype aware experience more evaluation threat on a daily basis in a stereotype-related performance domain. This, in turn, was related to less daily certainty of the ability self-concept as well as lower motivation and interest in the domain. Chapter 5 revealed the importance of identity fit for certainty of the academic self-concept among first-generation students in their first academic semester. This dissertation thus showed certainty of the ability self-concept as an underexamined key factor that can contribute to unequal outcomes in work and education for members of negatively stereotyped groups. When the assessment of one's abilities becomes more difficult under stereotype-related forces, then this can be expected to limit the ability to engage in adequate goal pursuit, thereby hindering upward mobility and reinforcing social inequality in work and education.