Abstract: Stereotype threat refers to being at risk of confirming, as self-characteristic, a negative stereotype about one’s group. Stereotype threat could lead to underperformance, disengagement and disidentification. Moreover, stereotype threat effect could be moderated by domain identity, group identity and ego. Early research focused on single mechanism of stereotype threat. Recently, some researchers suggested that there were three competing hypotheses for how blatant and subtle stereotype threat cues influence individual performance. Others suggested an integrated process model. Studies found that there were many intervention means such as reframing the task, creating identity-safe environment and so on. Great attention should be paid for the following issues in the future research: mental consequence study, the subsequent study of varied threat, field study and localization study.

Key words: stereotype threat, underperformance, domain identity, group identity