Stereotypes, their Measurement, and their Consequences in Higher Distance Education

Stereotypes as generalized beliefs about social groups are widespread and rooted in human cognition. They are furthermore particularly likely to be activated in online settings. Higher distance education offers temporal and spatial flexibility and therefore attracts many student groups that are underrepresented in traditional universities. Although stereotypes are particularly likely to be activated in online settings and some groups that are overrepresented in higher distance education are negatively stereotyped in general society, no research has yet examined stereotypes in higher distance education. Stereotype research usually distinguishes between perceivers (stereotyping group) and targets (stereotyped group) of stereotypes. On the perceivers’ side, stereotypes about targets can be associated with prejudice and discrimination dependent on the content of a stereotype. On the targets’ side, social identity threat (i.e., concern that is triggered when negative stereotypes threaten the positive image of one’s own group or when devaluation or stigmatization of the own group is present) can additionally impair negatively evaluated groups. Numerous studies have focused on performance-related impairments due to social identity threat but no research yet investigated the growing topic of social consequences of social identity threat (i.e., reduced belonging, social approach motivation) in higher distance education.

Especially in an educational setting that has the potential to reduce group-based educational disparities like higher distance education, negative consequences of stereotypes on the perceivers’ and the targets’ side are essential to be investigated which is therefore the overarching goal of the present dissertation. As a first step, relevant groups and the stereotypes about these groups were identified to understand which groups are at risk for the subsequently investigated negative consequences of stereotypes on the perceivers’ side (research aim 1). Since the first research aim was pursued with a novel integrative approach, respective theoretical and methodological assumptions needed to be corroborated in further studies (research aim 2). Finally, the targets’ side was examined by comparing social identity threat between student groups and testing its predictions on the detrimental social consequences (research aim 3).

Student groups at risk for negative stereotypes and the consequences of stereotypes on the perceivers’ and the targets’ side in higher distance education were identified. In detail, results regarding research aim 1 yielded that especially younger students and students with non-German native language as groups at risk for negative stereotypes in higher distance education and that especially competence-related stereotypes play a major role regarding prejudice and discrimination in this context. Research aim 2 was answered by yielding a high predictive value but partly context-specific effects of the applied approach to measure stereotypes and their consequences. Results related to research aim 3 revealed that students with chronic illness, students with disability, students with children, full-time employed students, and students with non-German native language report comparatively high values of social identity threat and that reduced belonging and reduced social approach motivation are indeed consequences of social identity threat in higher distance education.

This dissertation comprehensively informs higher distance education researchers and practitioners about which groups are potentially affected by prejudice and discrimination on the one hand and social identity threat, reduced belonging, and reduced social approach motivation on the other hand. Interestingly, groups at risk for negative consequences on the perceivers’ and the targets’ side did not perfectly overlap. This emphasizes the importance of investigating both sides of consequences and precisely informs future intervention research.