Avoiding Stigma: The Effect of Social Identity Threat on the Use of Academic Support by Low Socioeconomic Status Students

Abstract

Low socioeconomic status (SES) students face many obstacles during their academic careers, many of which stem from social identity threat (Steele, Spencer, & Arson, 2002). The present study hypothesized that social identity threat would lead to low SES students avoiding academic support. It sought to establish a relationship between SES, social integration, and utilization and perceptions of academic support. Nine participants completed the study: five low SES and four high SES. The results did not indicate that low SES students were less integrated. The results suggest that Princeton students hold positive attitudes towards academic supports’ efficacy, low SES students were perceived to use more academic support, and students who used it more held poorer perceptions of their own academic fit.