The 21st century is an exciting but complex and challenging era. For better and worse, people all over the world can connect with a few clicks, social movements can
begin on social media, and nations and economies are increasingly interdependent.
Paradoxically, the ease with which we can communicate with others across the world
also makes it easier to maintain an ingroup made up of people whose views and beliefs
are similar to ours. Thus, despite the greater potential access to diverse peoples
and cultures, issues of social stratification and inequality persist in our societies,
as do biases against members of stigmatized social groups. In our department, researchers
are interested in understanding the causes and consequences of social categorization
and biases, and how psychological processes are shaped by and, in turn, shape diverse
social interactions.
Below are some of research questions that we are currently investigating:
Courtesy Barack Obama Presidential Library
How do people categorize others who are racially ambiguous? What social and individual
differences influence the racial categories that people readily use? For instance, why are some individuals more or less likely to see Barack Obama as Black?
Under what conditions are people persuaded by an argument, and how do the social identities
of the persuader influence the argumentʼs persuasive power? For instance, why might the same argument be more convincing when it comes from a Black
person than a White person?
What factors enable people to excel in achievement contexts, and do these factors
have divergent effects on people from different social groups? For example, what social, environmental, and cultural factors can differentially lead men and women
to cultivate and sustain academic interest in STEM?
How does culture shape individualsʼ psychological well-being and their behavior in
close relationships? For example, does social support work the same to influence physical and psychological
health across cultures?
Under what conditions are people persuaded by an argument, and how do the social identities
of the persuader influence the argumentʼs persuasive power? For instance, why might
the same argument be more convincing when it comes from a Black person than a White
person?
White, P.H., & Harkins, S. G. (1994). Race of source effects in the elaboration likelihood model.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67, 790-807. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.67.5.790
How do people categorize others who are racially ambiguous? What social and individual
differences influence the racial categories that people readily use? For instance,
why are some individuals more or less likely see Barack Obama as Black?
Chen, J.M., & *Norman, J.B. (2016). Toward a comprehensive understanding of the factors underlying
multiracial person perception. Analysis of Social Issues and Public Policy. doi: 10.1111/asap.12122
Chen, J.M., Moons, W.G., Gaither, S.E., Hamilton, D.L., & Sherman, J.W. (2014). Motivation to
control prejudice predicts categorization of multiracials. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(5), 590-603. doi: 10.1177/0146167213520457
What factors enable people to excel in achievement contexts, and do these factors
have divergent effects on people from different social groups? For example, what social,
environmental, and cultural factors can differentially lead men and women to cultivate
and sustain academic interest in STEM?
*Geerling, D., Butner, J., *Fraughton, T., *Sinclair, S., Zachary, J., & Sansone, C. (2019). The dynamic association between interest and confusion: The potential for
moderation by utility value and gender. Journal of Experimental Education. DOI: 10.1080/00220973.2018.1561403
Thoman, D.B., Lee, G.A., Zambrano, J., *Geerling, D.M., *Smith, J.L., & Sansone, C. (2019). Social influences of interest: Conceptualizing group differences in education
through a self-regulation of motivation model. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 22, 330-355. doi: 10.1177/1368430219838337
*Smith, J. L., Sansone, C., & White, P. H. (2007). The stereotyped task engagement process: The role of interest and achievement
motivation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99, 99-114. doi: 10.1037/0022-0663.99.1.99
Thoman, D. B., & Sansone, C. (2016). Gender bias triggers diverging science interests between women and men: The
role of activity interest appraisals. Motivation and Emotion, 1-14. doi: 10.1007/s11031-016-9550-1
How does culture shape individualsʼ psychological well-being and their behavior in
close relationships?
*MacKenzie, J., Smith, T. W., Uchino, B. N., White, P. H., & Light, K. C. (2014). Depressive symptoms, anger/hostility, and relationship quality
in young couples. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 33, 380-396. doi: 10.1521/jscp.2014.33.4.380
*denotes current or former Utah students
Relevant Course Offerings
Graduate Courses
PSY 7961 – Advanced Topics in Social Psychology
PSY 7963 – Social Psychological Approaches to Diversity and Culture
