My primary research interests concentrate on examining how cultural contexts and social identity influence how we think about the world. More specifically, I am interested in how the intersection of culture, social identity and cognitive processes influence both intergroup relations and academic performance. I am currently conducting a series of studies exploring how culture influences both visual and auditory perception. These studies examine how thinking about the self independently vs. interdependently differentially influences the cognitive style of processing utilized in a given situation. Moreover, I am also conducting a series of studies examining how cultural self-concept influences performance on academic tasks. I am also involved with a 10 university research project exploring how to effectively leverage diversity on college campuses to produce educational benefits. This large-scale randomized controlled trial is testing the efficacy of an intergroup dialogue model with a specific focus on understanding the communication, affective and cognitive processes between individuals of different race, ethnic or gender groups that produce positive intergroup outcomes.
