Teachers' judgment of students' potential as a function of teachers' susceptibility to biasing information

26 physical education student teachers were asked to nominate 3 students of high potential in physical education (high expectancy) and 3 of low potential (low expectancy). Ss were divided into a high-bias and a no-bias group, reflecting extreme levels of susceptibility to stereotypically biasing information in scoring drawings allegedly made by high- and low-status children. Six characteristics of students nominated into the high- and low-expectancy groups were investigated: ethnic origin, socioeconomic status, physical attractiveness, quality of clothing, grade in physical education, and overall academic achievement. Nominations of physical education potential by no-bias Ss were related only to grade in physical education (interpreted to be a nonbiased nomination), whereas nominations of high-bias Ss were significantly related to all student characteristics except ethnic origin. The advantages of a differential approach to social cognition are discussed. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).