Putting on my contrarian hat: the studies he mentions seem to be concerned with whether testing conditions affect stereotype threat effects. Logically, they can't prove or deny the phenomenon's existence, only whether testing conditions result in changes to test outcomes that could track with interventions to reduce stereotype threat. Much of what we know about how behavioral effects of identity comes with the understanding that the latter is something people carry with them, regardless of local or recent events. If there's a problem with stereotype threat as a concept, it's that it's positioned as a superficial effector that can be manipulated easily, rather than the surface level manifestation of complex interactions between self-identity, personal values, and cultural expectations. Based on the author's disclosure about his PhD thesis, he seems to be someone who capitalized on the former characterization, so of course he throws the baby out with the bathwater when it no longer works for those purposes. We might be looking at an ass-covering write-up.
Let’s play “Find the Lebowski quotes game” again!
So, yeah, I find this a deeply unserious blog post.
He must throw the baby out with the bathwater - so far there is no evidence for anything here. The only alternative is to rerun the study, doing it correctly this time and then do a correct analysis. Until then you need to say "I don't know" when asked about this as that is all science allows. Maybe the rest of the baby they are throwing out will replicate and thus is correct - but nobody knows that and so we cannot say anything with confidence right now.
I'm assuming you are not aware of studies not mentioned here that replicate - I'm not in this field and so I would not know where to look. I'm guessing that you also are not in this field and are looking for some way to allow your bias to become true despite these issues - but of course I might be wrong.
Let me analogize. This is a blog post that claims that racism isn't real. As proof, the author explains that none of the studies that show a reduction in racism when you remind people that Michael Jordan and Beyonce exist can be replicated. Well, okay, sure. And the guy who earned a doctorate with the thesis, "Does Playing Jackson 5 Make People Less Racist?" might want to turn this into, "Racism does not exist," as a way to distance himself from his own terrible scholarship. (Also, did you find his Marvel Cinematic Universe Easter Eggs?)
So, thus far, there is actually not enough evidence to throw the, "Racism exists," baby out with the, "Do these interventions affect racist belief?" bathwater. And since we're second-guessing biases, it's super weird that you're always in comment sections of (politically-charged) articles concerning fields you're not in.
I think that contrarian hat may include a no-true-scotsman badge.
If stereotype threat is real, we should be able to have a replicatable study result that confirms it, right? We're not just limited to logical inference, I hope.
Comments
Putting on my contrarian hat: the studies he mentions seem to be concerned with whether testing conditions affect stereotype threat effects. Logically, they can't prove or deny the phenomenon's existence, only whether testing conditions result in changes to test outcomes that could track with interventions to reduce stereotype threat. Much of what we know about how behavioral effects of identity comes with the understanding that the latter is something people carry with them, regardless of local or recent events. If there's a problem with stereotype threat as a concept, it's that it's positioned as a superficial effector that can be manipulated easily, rather than the surface level manifestation of complex interactions between self-identity, personal values, and cultural expectations. Based on the author's disclosure about his PhD thesis, he seems to be someone who capitalized on the former characterization, so of course he throws the baby out with the bathwater when it no longer works for those purposes. We might be looking at an ass-covering write-up.
So, yeah, I find this a deeply unserious blog post.
He must throw the baby out with the bathwater - so far there is no evidence for anything here. The only alternative is to rerun the study, doing it correctly this time and then do a correct analysis. Until then you need to say "I don't know" when asked about this as that is all science allows. Maybe the rest of the baby they are throwing out will replicate and thus is correct - but nobody knows that and so we cannot say anything with confidence right now.
I'm assuming you are not aware of studies not mentioned here that replicate - I'm not in this field and so I would not know where to look. I'm guessing that you also are not in this field and are looking for some way to allow your bias to become true despite these issues - but of course I might be wrong.
Let me analogize. This is a blog post that claims that racism isn't real. As proof, the author explains that none of the studies that show a reduction in racism when you remind people that Michael Jordan and Beyonce exist can be replicated. Well, okay, sure. And the guy who earned a doctorate with the thesis, "Does Playing Jackson 5 Make People Less Racist?" might want to turn this into, "Racism does not exist," as a way to distance himself from his own terrible scholarship. (Also, did you find his Marvel Cinematic Universe Easter Eggs?)
So, thus far, there is actually not enough evidence to throw the, "Racism exists," baby out with the, "Do these interventions affect racist belief?" bathwater. And since we're second-guessing biases, it's super weird that you're always in comment sections of (politically-charged) articles concerning fields you're not in.
No, it does not make that claim.
Of course it doesn't. That's why it's presented as an analogy to the claim that was made.
I think that contrarian hat may include a no-true-scotsman badge.
If stereotype threat is real, we should be able to have a replicatable study result that confirms it, right? We're not just limited to logical inference, I hope.
If the studies are concerned with determining that stereotype threat exists, sure.