Why do some threats foster coalition-building while others deepen division? Psychologist Crystal Shackleford will examine how ingroup versus systemic sociopolitical threats shape coalitional attitudes, policy support, and cooperation. She will examine psychological conditions—perceived similarity or status differences—theorized to drive solidarity outcomes.
In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the use of race in college and university admissions was unconstitutional and violated the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. The decision, which applied to public and private institutions alike, signaled a major change in education equity policies, overturning over 40 years of precedent. Students of color must now weigh the personal importance of disclosing their racial identity against the potential risks of being penalized. And high school counselors must now advise students within an ambiguous legal context.
In recent years, workplaces have become more informal in both dress and communication style. On the surface, it seems that informality at work makes the workplace more inclusive. However, psychologist Stav Atir and organizational behavior scholar Hannah Birnbaum show that minoritized professionals rely more on formal cues (e.g., professional titles) to establish legitimacy, and that the loss of formality therefore operates as an unrecognized form of professional privilege.
The 2024 presidential election marked a historic moment as Kamala Harris became the first Black woman nominated by a major party for president. Her candidacy triggered widespread media coverage that frequently invoked racialized and gendered stereotypes, creating a context to examine how representations of Black women political leaders affect Black women voters.
Young Black people and other young people of color demonstrate strength in myriads ways but often face low expectations stemming from narrow narratives and negative stereotypes signaling that their racial/ethnic background misaligns with their aspirations. These harmful signals and their impact are rarely discussed, and while the means to counteract their effects could improve the odds of young people of color, such means are even more rarely examined.
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more deeply embedded in the workplace and increasingly humanlike in its form and function, public perceptions of these systems may be shaped by existing social categories, including race. Psychologists Monica Gamez-Djokic and Adam Waytz will investigate the extent to which people perceive AI as racially White and whether these perceptions are related to beliefs about AI’s role in job displacement, trust in AI systems, perceptions of AI’s objectivity or neutrality, perceived fairness of AI-driven decisions, and willingness to adopt or rely on AI.
Asian and Latino communities often face stereotypes of being “perpetually foreign” and encounter distinct forms of prejudice and discrimination based on this stereotype. However, research has shown that Black immigrants are sometimes viewed more positively than Black Americans. Psychologist Sapna Cheryan will investigate the extent to which perceptions of foreignness and discrimination vary across different Black communities. She will conduct surveys and survey experiments for her study.
Although surveys suggest that most Americans view diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in schools and workplaces to be a good thing, a majority also oppose the consideration of race in educational and workplace decision-making. Such opinions illustrate a contrast between ideals regarding the value of diversity and preferences regarding efforts to expand diversity.
Research has shown that the White-Black income gap increases feelings of competition and negative perceptions between Black and White Americans. However, no work has examined how income gaps between Whites and other non-White groups impact relationships between groups. Psychologist Jonathan Gordils will investigate how the White-Hispanic/Latine and White-Asian income gaps influence intergroup competition and other psychological outcomes, such as feelings of mistrust and avoidance.