A Contextual Approach to the Psychological Study of Stigma and Minority Mental Health
Abstract:
Research on the mental health of minority group members—including racial/ethnic minorities, sexual and gender minorities, and immigrant populations—has demonstrated that stigma is a key psychosocial determinant of psychopathology across diverse groups. Stigma has been conceptualized in the literature as a multi-level construct, ranging from intrapersonal processes (e.g., internalized stigma) and interpersonal interactions (e.g...
Title: Pattern Deviancy Aversion and its Social Consequences
Abstract:
Though we often fail to realize it, patterns are everywhere around us. And we, as humans, seem to prefer these patterns as compared to irregularities and inconsistencies. I will argue that people overwhelmingly dislike broken patterns – perceived distortions in repeated forms or models – and that such pattern deviancy aversion substantially impacts major social psychological phenomena. Using a multi-faceted approach, I will first show that people’s...
Connect and protect: Explaining social class differences in romantic relationship outcomes
Abstract:
Social class inequality in the United States is pervasive, and it shapes nearly every area of people's lives. Within romantic relationships, lower-SES (socioeconomic status) couples tend to experience worse outcomes – they are less satisfied with their relationships, less likely to marry, and more likely to divorce when they do marry. Despite these robust findings, little is known about the psychological mechanisms that might explain...