Cited by 466Social and Intergroup PsychologyCareer Development and DiversityEducation, Achievement, and Giftedness

Ingroup experts and peers as social vaccines who inoculate the self-concept: the stereotype inoculation model

Dasgupta, Nilanjana·2011·Psychological Inquiry

Abstract

Individuals’ choice to pursue one academic or professional path over another may feel like a free choice but is often constrained by subtle cues in achievement environments that signal who naturally belongs there and who does not. People gravitate toward achievement domains that feel like a comfortable fit because they are in sync with ingroup stereotypes and away from other domains that feel like an uncomfortable fit because they deviate too far from ingroup stereotypes. Even individuals who are high performers may lack confidence in their ability and withdraw from certain achievement domains—performance and self-efficacy do not always go hand in hand. What factors might release these constraints and enhance individuals’ freedom to pursue academic and professional paths despite stereotypes to the contrary? The present article addresses this question using a new theoretical lens—the stereotype inoculation model—that reveals how ingroup members (experts and peers in high-achievement settings) function as “social vaccines” who increase social belonging and inoculate fellow group members’ self-concept against stereotypes. The model integrates insights from several literatures in social psychology and organizational behavior to articulate predictions accompanied by supporting evidence about when ingroup experts and peers serve as social vaccines and the underlying psychological mechanisms. The article concludes by identifying directions for future research, possible interventions…

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Crossref · 10.1080/1047840x.2011.607313

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175 of 175 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • These students often believe that striving and succeeding in education is unlikely to be rewarding for people like them, and is thus not a worthwhile endeavor for members of their group.

    “These students often believe that striving and succeeding in education is unlikely to be rewarding for people like them, and is thus not something that is a worthwhile endeavor for members of their group (Dasgupta, 2011;Elmore & Oyserman, 2012;Oyserman, Bybee, & Terry, 2006, 2011).”
  • Such representation, when perceived by group members, helps inoculate them from social identity threat and reduces perceptions of identity incompatibility.

    “Such representation, when perceived by group members, helps inoculate them from social identity threat (Dasgupta, 2011) and reduces perceptions of identity incompatibility (Oyserman et al., 2006).”
  • The crucial ingredients that make role models beneficial seem to be that they are presented and present themselves as typical group members and that group members identify with them.

    “the crucial ingredients that make role models beneficial seem to be that they are presented and present themselves as typical group members and that group members identify with them (Dasgupta, 2011;Turner, 2006).”
  • Female role models' effectiveness comes in part because they demonstrate that success in the stereotyped domain is attainable, increase social belonging, and inoculate people's sense of self against identity threats.

    “The effectiveness of these women comes, in part, because they demonstrate that success in the stereotyped domain is attainable, and the models can both increase a sense of social belonging and inoculate people's sense of self against identity threats (Dasgupta, 2011;Marx, Ko, & Friedman, 2009;Marx & Roman, 2002;McGlone, Aronson, & Kobrynowicz, 2006).”

    From Managing to clear the air: Stereotype threat, women, and leadership (2016) · cites this paper as Dasgupta, 2011

  • Female role models can protect women from threats to their identity in leadership roles.

    “In particular, female role models can play an important role in protecting women from threats to their identity in leadership roles.”

    From Managing to clear the air: Stereotype threat, women, and leadership (2016) · cites this paper as Dasgupta, 2011

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Authors
Dasgupta, N.
Affiliations
University of Massachusetts Amherst (US)
Corresponding author
Dasgupta, Nilanjana
Venue
Psychological Inquiry
Published
2011-10
Volume
22
Issue
4
Pages
231-246
ISSN
  • 1047-840X (ISSN-L)
  • 1532-7965
OpenAlex
W2064683137
Cited by
466
References
175
Citations by year
2026: 41 · 2025: 54 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 50 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 37 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 3
FWCI
27.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Psychological Inquiry (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
Keywords
self-concept, social belonging, self-efficacy, stereotype threat, intervention

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