Research

Broadly speaking, my primary research interests lie within intergroup relations, prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. I am currently pursuing several lines of research that focus upon the domain of weight bias, or negativity directed toward individuals perceived to carry excess weight. I am also interested in the processes underlying the expression of prejudice more generally. Below, the programs of research I am involved in are discussed briefly.

Difficult Employment Decisions: Greg Maio, Victoria Esses, and I are examining the decision-making process in justifying difficult employment decisions in choosing between stigmatized and nonstigmatized candidates along several different characteristics (e.g., weight, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation).

Consequences of Prejudice Acceptability: Victoria Esses, Karen Dickson, and I are examining the consequences of expressing negative group attitudes that are differentially acceptable in an impression formation paradigm.

Eating Behaviour: Victoria Esses, Donna Garcia, Heather Smith, and I are examining various social cues that influence eating behaviour particularly among those high in dietary restraint.

Prejudice Expression and Anxiety: Victoria Esses, Caroline Bennett-AbuAyyash, and I are examining the influence of role taking on the experience of anxiety during prejudice expression.

Collaborators

Caroline Bennett-AbuAyyash, University of Western Ontario

Victoria Esses, University of Western Ontario

Karen Dickson, University of Western Ontario

Donna Garcia, California State University San Bernardino

Bertram Gawronski, University of Western Ontario

Greg Maio, Cardiff University

Melanie Morrison, University of Saskatchewan

Kurt Peters, University of Western Ontario

Heather Smith, University of Western Ontario

Fritz Strack, University of Würzburg