Semester Award Granted

Summer 2025

Submission Date

August 2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Geoffrey Weatherall

Abstract

This study examined the influence of self-monitoring on cognitive performance under stereotype threat in an online academic setting. One hundred thirty-two Black and Hispanic participants completed a series of GRE-style questions following exposure to either a stereotype threat or control condition (Steele & Aronson, 1995). Participants also completed measures of self-monitoring (Gangestad & Snyder, 2000), academic motivation (Pintrich & De Groot, 1990), cognitive load (Kirschner, 2002), self-esteem (Crocker et al., 2003), and ethnic identity. Using multiple regression and mediation analyses conducted in Jamovi, self-monitoring emerged as the strongest and most consistent predictor of test performance. Academic motivation partially mediated this relationship, while cognitive load was positively associated with performance but did not function as a mediator. Neither self-esteem nor ethnic identity significantly mediated performance outcomes. The experimental condition and its interaction with self-monitoring were not significant. Findings suggest that self-monitoring and motivation are central to performance in stereotype-relevant academic tasks.

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