Claude Steele

Claude M. Steele is an American social psychologist and a professor of psychology at Stanford University. He has also served in several major academic leadership positions, including Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost at the University of California at Berkeley (2014-16); the I. James Quillen Dean for the School of Education at Stanford University (2011-14), and Provost of Columbia University (2009-11).

Dr. Steele is best known for his work on stereotype threat and its application to minority student academic performance. His earlier work dealt with research on the self (e.g., self-image, self-affirmation) as well as the role of self-regulation in addictive behaviors. In 2010, he released his book, Whistling Vivaldi and Other Clues to How Stereotypes Affect Us, summarizing years of research on stereotype threat and the underperformance of minority students in higher education.