The Obama Effect
A recent study by Dr. Friedman and his associates entitled “The ‘Obama Effect’: How a Salient Role Model Reduces Race-Based Performance Differences,” in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology (forthcoming), looks at the effect that President Obama had upon test takers.
Traditionally, African Americans perform lower than their Caucasian counterparts on the same test, but after President Obama became president, this achievement gap effectively disappeared. Researchers believe that expectation based on race has a huge impact on the achievement of individuals. This study shows the power of a role model in impacting the expectations and achievement of a group of people.
Time will tell whether the Obama effect will have a long term impact, and more studies are needed to verify the findings, but the implications are vast. In essence, African American students perform better simply by having an African American role model demonstrating the importance of a good education.
Teachers, especially those who teach low achieving students such as special education students and minorities, need to learn how to extend the Obama effect to each of their students. They need to teach their students that they can achieve, and help them believe it through positive role models and effective teaching strategies.
This study demonstrating the Obama effect is only the beginning of the necessary changes in the educational system.
Related posts:
- President Obama’s Take on Education
- 2011 Proposed Budget for Teachers
- President Obama Wins 2009 Nobel Peace Prize
- Extension Ideas for Lesson on Obama’s Speech
- Preparing for State Testing
