Valerie Purdie-Vaughns
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., 2004, Stanford University
General Area of Research
Intergroup Relations & Diversity
Current Research
Our lab promotes the development of research regarding people with
threatened identities, and examines the consequences of their
experiences for intergroup relations. Any individual can have part of
his/her identity that is devalued or stigmatized in some way—women in
the sciences, gay/lesbian, bi-sexuals in American society, aging
workers in technology firms, African-Americans in intellectual
settings, certain immigrants in the U.S. We attempt to understand their
experiences and, through research, uncover ways to improve how majority
and minority group members “get along.” More recently our lab has
incorporated broader lines of research that explores cultural
psychology and economics as it applies to one’s group membership.
To accomplish this mission, our research lab primarily conducts
experimental laboratory and field studies. Our philosophy is to design
experiments that closely mirror real-world phenomena. This often takes
us into police departments, legal settings, schools, businesses, and
beyond. In recent years, we have started to explore the use of
psycho-physiological techniques to understand how threats to our
identity affect basic biological responses. This research takes us back
into the lab for basic experimental research.
The ultimate goal of our research is to deepen our understanding of
culture
and intergroup relations in society and to eventually inform educational and public policy.
Courses Frequently Taught
-
PSYC W2650 Introduction to Cultural Psychology
-
PSYC W3650 Cultural Psychology in the Public Interest (seminar)
-
PSYC G4615 The Psychology of Culture and Diversity (seminar)
|
Columbia University
Psychology Dept.
355B Schermerhorn Hall
1190 Amsterdam Avenue MC: 5501
New York, NY 10027
Phone:
212-854-1954
Fax:
212-854-3609
|
