Department of
Psychological and Brain Sciences

• Social Psychology

• Coping with stigma
• Emotion regulation
• Intergroup relations
• Social identity threat
• Stereotyping and prejudice

My research interests center broadly on understanding and addressing the factors that contribute to social inequality by focusing on social identity threat – i.e., instances where individuals feel like one or more of their social identities may be devalued or disrespected. Specifically, my work investigates how threats to social identity including group-based discrimination and stereotype threat shape cognitive, psychological, behavioral, and physiological outcomes that, in turn, have implications for disparities in many life domains. My research simultaneously considers the antecedents of social identity threat and demonstrates the consequences of contending with it. I adopt a multi-level, multi-method (e.g., experimental, physiological, longitudinal, experience sampling) approach to investigate these questions, and to identify strategies that can help members of stigmatized groups manage the challenges of navigating diverse spaces, including those most likely to trigger social identity threat.

In one line of research, I consider the effects of race-based threats to social identity on stress-sensitive biological systems, cognitive–behavioral coping responses, and educational outcomes. For example, my colleagues and I have examined how stress-related alterations in HPA axis activity and sleep processes affect educational outcomes such as performance on standardized tests. Current work in this area examines how subtle situational cues in the environment contribute to subjective experiences of social identity threat including a decreased sense of belonging, which in turn, negatively impact academic performance and satisfaction with school.

In another line of research, I explore the efficacy of different types of cognitive–behavioral coping strategies in mitigating the effects of social identity threat. In particular, I examine the role of different emotion regulation strategies in shaping the affective, cognitive, behavioral, and physiological outcomes associated with contending with discrimination.

A final line of research explores strategies that mitigate social identity threat in interracial interactions. Specifically, my colleagues and I have examined whether encouraging people to approach challenging interracial interactions with a learning goal orientation — such as by viewing them as opportunities to deepen one’s understanding of different cultures — instead of a performance goal orientation leads to more positive interaction experiences. Current work in this area examines whether adopting learning (vs. performance) goals foster positive interaction experiences in other types of challenging intergroup interactions such as interactions between those who have opposing political views.

Green, D. J., Wout, D. A., & Murphy, M. C. (2020). Learning goals mitigate identity threat for Black individuals in threatening interracial interactions.  Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. Advance online publication.  https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000331

Muenks, K., Canning, E. A., LaCosse, J., Green, D. J., Zirkel, S., Garcia, J. A., & Murphy, M. C. (2020). Does my professor think my ability can change? Students' perceptions of their STEM professors' mindset beliefs predict their psychological vulnerability, engagement, and performance in class.  Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. Advance online publication.  https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000763

Canning, E. A., Muenks, K., Green, D. J., & Murphy, M. C. (2019). STEM faculty who believe ability is fixed have larger racial achievement gaps and inspire less student motivation in their classes.  Science advances,  5(2), eaau4734. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau4734

Levy, D. J., & Richeson, J. A. (2018).  The effects of managing discrimination experiences on self-control, health, and well-being. In D. de Ridder, M. Adriaanse, & K. Fujita (Eds.),  Routledge international handbooks. The Routledge international handbook of self-control in health and well-being (p. 353–363). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Heissel, J. A., Levy, D. J., & Adam, E. K. (2017). Stress, Sleep, and Performance on Standardized Tests: Understudied Pathways to the Achievement Gap.  AERA Open.  https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858417713488

Levy, D. J., Heissel, J. A., Richeson, J. A., & Adam, E. K. (2016). Psychological and biological responses to race-based social stress as pathways to disparities in educational outcomes.  American Psychologist, 71(6), 455–473.  https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040322