Final answer:
In the example provided, the figurative language used is a simile because it compares two things directly using the word 'like'. A simile is one way that writers express complex ideas vividly.
Step-by-step explanation:
Figurative Language in 'How a self-fulfilling stereotype can drag down performance'
Figurative language is a literary device used to create a special effect or feeling by making some type of interesting or creative comparison. It allows writers to express abstract ideas in a vivid and imaginative way.
In the context provided, if you are referring to a specific example like "Learning a foreign language is like learning to ride a bicycle: you must learn to perform multiple tasks at the same time" then the type of figurative language used is a simile. This is because it directly compares learning a foreign language to riding a bicycle using the word 'like'. Similes help to make a description more emphatic or vivid. On the other hand, a metaphor makes a comparison without using 'like' or 'as', for example, 'time is a thief'. Personification attributes human characteristics to non-human objects, like 'the wind whispered through the trees', and hyperbole is an exaggerated statement, such as 'I have a million things to do'.