For example, a study was conducted to compare the reading and mathematic abilities between children, ages 5 and 7, each in three different mental capacity groups (underachieving, average, and overachieving).
These might apply to children who are considered too disobedient or underachieving, children from families with divorced spouses, and children to whom the parents do not much relate.
According to this theory, minority students underachieve intentionally in school and in standardized testing due to a fear of being stereotyped as acting white.