Testing the effects of the inauguration of the first African American president on the affirmation process

这份RAPID提案描述了一系列实地和实验室研究，以确定巴拉克•奥巴马（Barack Obama）当选美国第一位非洲裔总统，是否会对少数族裔群体成员起到肯定作用，并导致他们的学习动机和表现得到改善。这一特殊事件是否对不同年龄组学生的成绩，特别是在STEM学科上的成绩产生重大影响，是一个迫切而重要的问题，需要严谨的科学研究。我们同意PI的观点，即这项研究将促进我们对重大社会事件如何影响学生心理和成就动机的理解，而不是直接的课堂环境。这项拟议中的研究将揭示在stem相关领域的种族成就差距中起作用的社会心理过程，这是一个关键的教育问题。此外，本研究的结果将促进教学策略的发展，以及具有成本效益的教学和课程策略，有利于少数民族在stem相关领域和其他领域的成就和参与。

This RAPID proposal describes a series of field and laboratory studies to determine whether the election of Barack Obama, the first African American president, will serve as an affirmation to members of ethnic minority groups and lead to improved academic motivation and performance. Whether this particular event has significant effects on the achievement of students of varying age groups, especially in STEM subjects, constitutes an urgent and important question for rigorous scientific research. We agree with the PI that this research will advance our understanding of how major societal events, beyond the immediate classroom environment, affect students' psychology and achievement motivation. The proposed research will shed light on the social-psychological processes that play a role in the racial achievement gap in STEM-related fields, a critical educational problem. Further the results of this study will facilitate the development of pedagogical strategies, and cost-effective teaching and curriculum strategies that benefit minority achievement and participation in STEM-related fields and beyond.