My academic research advanced psychological theory to address important social issues such as reducing sexist beliefs, increasing intergroup empathy, and shifting social norms to be more equitable. My research has explored the impact of culture on identities with a specific focus on privileged social identities such as White people and men. I used a mixed methods approach in my work, leveraging quantitative surveys, conversation studies, national dataset analyses, qualitative coding, and thematic analysis to uncover insights.
For an example of my theoretical approach, you can read about a cultural psychological framework for interventions to change attitudes within dominant social groups in Chapter 5 of the Applied Social Psychology article Selves as Solutions to Social Inequalities.
Expanding Masculine Gender Norms
I have investigated the effects of expanding the definition of masculinity to be more inclusive of prosocial intergroup behaviors. I was especially interested in understanding the effects of making masculinity more inclusive on all-male intragroup processes. One of the aims of this line of work was to create identity-based interventions that motivate men to be allies in confronting sexism in all-male settings. Another aim of this research was to increase awareness and reduce the endorsement of harmful masculine norms by demonstrating how traditional masculine values and traits can be expressed in more inclusive, supportive ways.
How White Americans Perceive and Discuss Race
It is well known that intergroup contact can be an effective tool in reducing prejudice, but less is known about how intragroup contact impacts beliefs about race and racism. With Erik Santoro and Dr. Kiara Sanchez, I investigated the effect of whites discussing race on prejudice, racial hierarchy beliefs, and political attitudes, and whether different dynamic norm appeals can shift attitudes towards conversations about race. The focus of this work was to better understand attitudes towards discussing race in all-White contexts and the conditions in which these conversations reinforce existing biases or increase awareness of racial inequity. A major goal of this research was to test the effectiveness of dynamic norm appeals on increasing interest in discussing race with other White people. My dissertation “Investigating the Effects of Dynamic Social Norms and Conversations About Race on Racial Attitudes and Norm Perceptions Among White Americans” describes the methods and results of this line of work.
Language as a Source of Belonging
With Drs. Lisel Murdock-Perriera and Kathryn Boucher, I studied how language affects feelings of belonging among college students. This research sought to understand how worries or anxieties about language can threaten belonging, and key barriers in education settings that reinforce such worries.