The Wonderlic Test for the NFL Draft: Linking Stereotype Threat and the Law

41 Pages Posted: 3 Oct 2006

See all articles by Michael McCann

Michael McCann

Harvard University - Harvard Law School; University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law

Date Written: October 1, 2006

Abstract

This paper examines the law and social psychology of the "Wonderlic Personnel Test" ("the Wonderlic") administered to prospective National Football League ("NFL") players. It specifically examines whether "stereotype threat" is apparent among players taking the Wonderlic, and the potential legal implications of such a finding.

Stereotype threat reflects the behavioral effects that result from an individual's belief and fear that his actions will confirm a negative stereotype of a group to which he belongs. Stereotype threat typically manifests in anxiety, which can impair performance and trigger a self-fulfilling prophecy: because of stress related to his or her group membership, the person underperforms, thereby unintentionally corroborating the underlying group stereotype.

With recent empirical data indicating that the Wonderlic is not predictive of NFL performance, the potential presence of stereotype threat among football players taking the Wonderlic invites a wide-range of legal and social questions.

Suggested Citation

McCann, Michael A., The Wonderlic Test for the NFL Draft: Linking Stereotype Threat and the Law (October 1, 2006). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=934307 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.934307

Michael A. McCann (Contact Author)

Harvard University - Harvard Law School ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://hls.harvard.edu/faculty/michael-mccann/

University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law ( email )

Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property
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Concord, NH 03301
603.513.5254 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://law.unh.edu/person/michael-mccann

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