The subject of the thesis is 'The Obama Effect.' This subject is presented by an experimental evaluation to determine the stereotype danger and role model impact on African American students of the flouting popularity of Barack Obama. The test is validated by a randomized trial on standardized test outcomes from a diverse range of college students throughout the United States. The study believed that there would be an increase in the results of African American students before taking a tough verbal exam relative to those who did not think of Obama before a comparable test would be swept up in thoughts of Obama's defiant achievement. Previous studies had backed up this assumption. According to the article, the black American have been subjected to psychological experiences of being inferior in the realm of their intellectual efforts, performances, and abilities unlike their counterparts, the whites. In the wake of a publicised Obama success way up to being the president against all the odds, one being a black American, his publicised success was projected to have had a significant effect on the perception and success laid on the Black Americans. However, the research on this topic differed with this supposition. Through the findings, the study found out that the prompt to think about Obama did not have any effect on the test scores. Furthermore, the research ruled out the hypothesis that there was a relationship between positive thoughts about Obama and the test performance.
Purpose of the Present Research Study
The primary purpose of the research was to find out or rather test whether Obama's success had some positive influence on the African American test-takers' intellectual test performance. Literally, the experiment was to affirm previous researches which claimed that stereotype threat and role models have effects on the affected population.
Problem under Investigation
The problem under investigation is the stereotype threat and role model effects in the society. The problem being studied revolves around a case study of the supposed Obama effect on the standardized test performance. It is assumed that the ascent of Barack Obama, intellectual capability, well spoken, and the charismatic nature cemented by his success to the presidency of the United States, one of the global superpowers, had some effects on the perception of social opportunity, cultural images of the African Americans and race relations. Previous studies on the issue found out that the American race relations changed significantly after the American presidential polls that saw Barack Obama ascend to power.
Hypothesis
Scientific Hypothesis
H0: African American students would improve in their performance comparative to white counterparts if they prompt to contemplate about Barack Obama before taking a challenging standardized verbal test than those in control conditions failed to arouse thoughts about Obama.
Null Hypothesis
H1: African American students would deteriorate in their performance comparative to white counterparts if they prompt to contemplate about Barack Obama before taking a challenging standardized verbal test than those in control conditions failed to arouse thoughts about Obama.
Formulated Hypothesis
Scientific Hypothesis
H1: Stereotypic threat and role model, have an impact on a particular population.
Null Hypothesis
H0: Stereotypic threat and role model, have no impact on a particular population.
References
Aronson, J., Jannone, S., McGlone, M., & Johnson-Campbell, T. (2009). The Obama effect: An experimental test. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 45(4), 957-960.
