Final answer:
True, individuals do not need to internalize a stereotype for it to affect their performance due to external expectations and confirmation bias shaping behaviors and outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main answer to the question is True: a person does not need to believe or internalize a stereotype for it to affect their performance. This concept is rooted in the dynamics of self-fulfilling prophecies and confirmation bias, where an individual's behavior can be altered based on the expectations held by others, such as teachers' expectations affecting students' grades, and employers' prejudices influencing job applicants' demeanor during interviews.Explanation in more than 100 words: Stereotypes can subconsciously influence an individual's behavior through psychological phenomena like self-fulfilling prophecies. As seen in Rosenthal and Jacobson's research, when teachers expected disadvantaged students to perform well, those expectations positively influenced the students' performance. Additionally, when people hold stereotypic beliefs, they may exhibit confirmation bias, meaning they only acknowledge behaviors that support their stereotypes and ignore those that do not. This perpetuates the stereotype, which in turn, can negatively impact the targeted individual's performance, without the individual necessarily believing in the stereotype themselves.Conclusion: While being aware of a stereotype does not automatically mean one internalizes it, all individuals are susceptible to the effects of stereotypes through the expectations and biases of others around them, which can shape behaviors and outcomes despite personal beliefs.