Positive valence ≠ positive effect: impact of positive meta-stereotypes on the cognitive performance

The aim of this study was to examine how positive meta-stereotypes impacted cognitive performance among disadvantaged groups and the mediating effect of negative emotions. In Experiments 1 and 2, Chinese migrant children and rural college students were randomly allocated to the positive meta-stereotype, negative meta-stereotype, or a non-meta-stereotype activation group to examine positive meta-stereotypes' effect on creativity and working memory performance. Both experiments revealed that positive meta-stereotypes had a choking under-pressure effect on cognitive performance, and negative emotions may act as significant mediators between meta-stereotypes and cognitive performance. The choking under pressure effect may occur under positive meta-stereotypes, necessitating more clarification on meta-stereotypes' negative effects.