Although society is becoming increasingly diverse and many Americans endorse egalitarian beliefs, at times interracial interactions can be awkward or stressful. My research investigates interactions among diverse group members across various relationships (e.g., friends, college roommates, strangers). One theme emerging from my research is that “good intentions” sometimes unwittingly cause interracial interactions to go awry. My recent work in this area focuses on the good intention of wanting to get along with others. I find that when racial cues are salient, the desire to get along with racial minorities often hinders Whites from accurately understanding minorities’ thoughts and feelings. Interestingly, racial minorities tend to show the opposite effect: Minorities who desire to get along with Whites often show increased understanding of Whites. My current research program continues to investigate the antecedents, moderating factors, and consequences of achieving (or failing to achieve) understanding in interracial interactions.

I primarily offer courses in social psychological research. In my Social Psychology course, students learn about the ways in which the social environment influences people’s attitudes, thoughts, and behavior. In my advanced Stereotypes and Prejudice course, students further analyze social psychological theory and empirical research, examining the underpinnings of stereotyping and prejudice as well as the consequences of these psychological biases on members of stigmatized groups. In Research Methods, students learn about and apply the methods psychologists use to conduct research. In all of my courses, I seek to equip students with the tools and knowledge to understand people, evaluate information, and apply research findings to their own lives.