When seeking to describe how stereotyping and prejudice infects society it is common to characterize them as shaping individuals through biased media depictions and institutions that subjugate some while rewarding others. In contrast, the work done in my lab examines how interpersonal interactions translate culturally held prejudices into individual thoughts and actions. One line of research on social tuning, shows individuals’ prejudices and stereotype-relevant self-views adjust to the apparent views of social interaction partners, without conscious effort or awareness, when they like the other person or feel uncertain. A complementary line of research on implicit homophily shows that perceivers are interpersonally drawn to others whose intergroup attitudes and experiences seem similar to their own, even when those intergroup attitudes are consciously disavowed by perceivers and instead measured implicitly. Taken together these bodies of work suggest people may unknowingly be immersed in social networks characterized by a corresponding degree of intergroup bias. We are in the initial stages of several projects considering the ramifications of this possibility for the health and intellectual performance of members of stigmatized groups.
Stacey Sinclair
Events
Success Without Fame or Fortune: A New Paradigm
Friday, October 5
This interactive session will explore how we evaluate success, influence, and achievement and rethink how we define a successful and important life. Participants will form smaller groups to discuss new ways to approach how we judge our choices.
Pre-read: “Second Opinion: Another View of Influence” by Jill Dolan
Moderator: Jill Dolan, Dean of the College, Annan Professor in English and Professor of Theater Studies in the Lewis Center for the Arts
Small group discussions facilitated by:
Betsy Armstrong, Associate Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs, Woodrow Wilson School
Wendy Belcher, Associate Professor of Comparative Literature and African American Studies
Sandra Bermann, Professor of Comparative Literature and Head of Whitman College
Alison Boden, Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel
Wendy Heller, Scheide Professor of Music History and Chair, Department of Music
Melissa Lane, Class of ’43 Professor of Politics; Director, Center for Human Values
Rosina Lozano, Assistant Professor of History and the Program in Latino/a Studies
Erika Milam, Professor of History and Director of Graduate Studies, History of Science
Julie Roth, Rabbi, Center for Jewish Life
Nicole Shelton, Professor of Psychology; Head of Butler College
Stacey Sinclair, Professor of Psychology; Head of Mathey College
Stacy Wolf, Professor of Theatre, Director, Program in Music Theatre, Lewis Center for the Arts