The stress of racism may impact learning
A new study finds that black and Latino students who experience racism have higher levels of cortisol, a hormone linked to stress, and one that is known to impact focus and learning.
If you had to worry about getting stopped and frisked by the police on your way to school, would it stress you out? If you thought your teacher might not call on you, or call on you too often because of the color of your skin, would that make you nervous to speak up in class?
New research suggests the stress of experiencing racial discrimination could be contributing to the so-called achievement gap between white students and students of color. The study, from Northwestern University, found that black and Latino students who reported experiencing racism had higher levels of cortisol, a hormone linked to stress, and one that is known to affect focus and learning.
Northwestern professor Emma Adam joins Stephen Smith on the podcast to discuss these findings.