Radiolab: The Obama Effect, Perhaps.

Release Date: January 28, 2009
Hosts: Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich
Main Guests: Claude Steele (Psychology Professor), Ryan Brown & Eric Day (Researchers), Jeff Stone (University of Arizona Researcher)

Episode Overview

This episode explores “the Obama Effect”—a surprising finding suggesting that Barack Obama’s rise to national prominence temporarily closed the academic performance gap between Black and white test-takers on standardized exams. Jad and Robert use the study as a springboard to discuss the psychological concept of “stereotype threat,” drawing on pioneering research by Claude Steele and others. Through lively conversation, real-world analogies, and firsthand insights from the scientists themselves, the episode unpacks how stereotypes subtly shape performance and how even a few words—or a symbolic moment like Obama’s ascent—can disrupt persistent inequalities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Obama Effect Study (02:47 – 04:53)

• Study Summary:

  • Researchers gave a 20-question GRE-style test to Black and white participants, asking their race beforehand.
  • Before Barack Obama’s presidential candidacy, Black participants averaged 8.5/20; white participants averaged 12/20.
  • After Obama became the Democratic nominee and following his election, the performance gap disappeared—Black and white scores were about the same.
  • This sparked the question: did Obama’s success directly influence test-takers’ sense of possibility or stereotype threat?

• Caveats:

  • “We should say by way of caveats that this is a really preliminary study...” (Jad, 04:39)
  • Small sample size; results not yet peer-reviewed.

2. Understanding Stereotype Threat (05:03 – 13:00)

• Origins of the Concept (Claude Steele’s Research):

  • Observed at the University of Michigan: Black and white students with similar credentials performed differently after starting college.
  • “Two kids would enter Michigan. One was black, one was white...same skills, same SAT score...after one semester, the black kid was winding up with lower grades.” (Jad & Claude Steele, 05:17 – 05:36)

• Claude Steele’s Experiments:

  • Women scored lower than men on tough math GRE sections—despite comparable credentials.
    • “Women...performed dramatically worse than the men.” (Claude Steele, 06:26 – 06:46)
  • When researchers told women the test showed no gender differences, the gap vanished.
    • “Sure enough...their performance did go up and go up to match that of the equally skilled men.” (Claude Steele, 07:56 – 08:04)

• Simple Framing Shifts Can Change Outcomes:

  • Re-labeling an “IQ test” as a “puzzle” erases Black-white performance gaps.
    • “Blacks perform as well as whites and they did.” (Claude Steele, 09:28)
  • Similar effects found even with non-academic tasks, like golf putting performance, depending on whether the task was described as an intelligence or athletic ability measure.
    • “When we told them it was a measure of sports intelligence, black participants did about four strokes worse than white participants. But when he changed it...as a test of your natural athletic ability...results totally flip...whites performing significantly worse than blacks...” (Jeff Stone & Jad, 10:20 – 10:38)

3. How Stereotype Threat Works (11:18 – 13:00)

• The ‘Gremlin’ Analogy:
  • Stereotype threat is like a gremlin that whispers doubt during difficult portions of a test.
    • “If the test is easy...these effects don’t happen.” (Claude Steele, 11:51)
    • “He [the gremlin] walks in with you, but he doesn’t speak necessarily until things get challenging.” (Ryan Brown/Eric Day, 11:57)
  • Physiological effects: elevated blood pressure, impaired memory.
  • The distraction—even if you don’t believe the stereotype—draws attention and reduces performance.
    • “The real subtle power of a stereotype isn’t that it prevents you from doing the thing you want to do. It distracts you for just a beat from doing the thing you want to do.” (Jad, 12:57)

4. Letters & Listener Feedback (14:22 – 17:34)

• Listener Questions:
  • Updates on past episode topics, such as the medical fate of “patient X” from a prior show.
    • “Patient X had his entire pancreas removed and many years later is doing fine.” (Jad, 14:55)
• Controversy Over Jad’s Use of Language:
  • Jad discusses the reaction—especially from his parents—to using “the b-word” on air, reflecting on generational and cultural differences in language.
    • “Honestly, if I could do it again, I would take it back.” (Jad, 16:53)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Obama Effect:

  • “What they noticed was after Barack Obama had become fabulous, blacks taking the test scored about the same as whites. Before Barack Obama had been fabulous, blacks performed more poorly.”
    (Robert, 03:53)

• On Stereotype Threat:

  • “Just do the best you can. And with that simple disclaimer at the start, same kind of an effect...the black students and the white students are...now equal."
    (Jad & Claude Steele, 08:23 – 08:32)

  • “All the usual stuff. And even if the student doesn’t believe it, which is likely, see, you don’t have to believe it. That’s the kind of insidious thing here.”
    (Ryan Brown/Eric Day, 12:35 – 12:41)

• On the Dynamics of Testing Pressure:

  • “That performance gap totally vanished.”
    (Jad, 08:04)

  • “Their blood pressure’s elevated, their short term memory is impaired. It’s that flicker of frustration through their body that wakes up the gremlin who starts to whisper in their ear.”
    (Claude Steele & Jad, 12:22 – 12:31)

Segment Timestamps

• [02:47] – Introduction to the Obama effect study and basic results.
• [05:03] – Claude Steele describes his early work on performance gaps.
• [06:26] – Initial experiment with women and math tests.
• [07:47] – Discussion of pre-test disclaimers and their effect on performance.
• [08:40] – Effects of test framing (IQ test vs. puzzle).
• [09:41] – Jeff Stone’s miniature golf experiments.
• [11:18] – Analogy of stereotype threat as a gremlin and its mechanics.
• [12:57] – How distractions, not belief, affect performance due to stereotype threat.
• [14:22] – Listener letters and feedback section.
• [16:53] – Jad reflects on language and generational culture.

Tone and Style

Radiolab retains its playful, intellectually curious tone throughout—mixing light banter with thoughtful explanation. The hosts’ chemistry and use of analogies help clarify complex social science findings in down-to-earth terms, while the inclusion of actual researchers lends authority and authenticity.

Takeaways

• The episode compellingly illustrates that framing and social context—including the visibility of figures like Barack Obama—can significantly impact people’s academic and cognitive performance through stereotype threat.
• Small interventions (a reassuring statement, changing a test’s label) can level the playing field—suggesting both the subtlety and power of stereotypes, and the hope for lessening their effects.
• Radiolab’s mix of storytelling, scientific explanation, and engaging back-and-forth offers an insightful, accessible look at how psychology intersects with real-world events.

(Note: The original episode contains further lighthearted content and listener mail, but this summary focuses on the main thematic exploration of the Obama Effect and stereotype threat.)