Social Justice & Intergroup Relations
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We sometimes take for granted how our social identities impact our everyday encounters. In fact, intergroup interactions are quite commonplace. These interactions often go off without a hitch, but sometimes they go awry. My research focuses on ways to reduce intergroup prejudice. Confronting prejudice can change others' biased behavior and attitudes. However, individuals face many barriers in the decision to confront. This is in part due to the social costs associated with confrontational responses - you may be disliked or rejected for speaking up. Additionally, individuals may simply not know the best way to respond. My research investigates ways that people can overcome these barriers and confront bias. Specifically, I train individuals to use confrontation strategies and reduce their fears of rejection. These simple interventions have the power to help people to dynamically respond to everyday instances of prejudice - both online and in face-to-face interactions.
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Photo credit: Rob Felt Photography |