Our lab has several ongoing research projects.  Here is a brief outline of some of our studies:

• Attitude Formation Through Exploration - BeanFest
  • Negativity biases in exploration, learning, and generalization
  • Political ideology, exploration, and attitude formation
  • Association between negativity biases in attitude formation and emotional disorders
  • Predictive and diagnostic ability of BeanFest to assess emotionality in clinical populations

• Prejudice Reduction Through Intergroup Contact
  • Effect of racial attitudes on success of interracial roommate relationships
  • Effect of interracial roommate relationships on racial attitudes
  • Effect of different forms of contact (e.g., direct, extended) on attitudes toward LGBT
  • Differences in the effects of intergroup contact between majority and minority group members
  • Benefit of intergroup contact on academic identity and academic achievement

• BehavioralImmune System (BIS)
  • Roleof disgust in prejudice toward outgroups (e.g., homosexuals) and women (i.e., sexism)
  • Socialconservatism (e.g., RWA, religious fundamentalism) as a means of disease avoidance
  • Role of disgust in forming political attitudes and influencing political behavior (e.g., voting)
  • Sex differences in disgust sensitivity and collectivism
  • Cultural differences in BIS

• Mindfulness
  • Mindfulness as a means of reducing negativity biases
  • Negatively biased cognition as a mediator between mindfulness and emotional disorders
  • Effect of mindfulness on emotional reactivity and attitude formation

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