Social Psychology Recent Publications

Students pursuing the Ph.D. degree in Psychological Science may specialize in social psychology. The graduate faculty in social psychology share common interests in stereotyping, social stigma, and intergroup relations.

Recent Publications

Doyle, D. & Molix, L. (in press). Perceived discrimination and well-being in gay men: The protective role of behavioral identification. Psychology and Sexuality.

Blodorn, A., O’Brien, L.T., & Kordys, J. (2012). Responding to sex-based discrimination: Gender differences in perceived discrimination and implications for legal decision making. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 15, 409-424.

O'Brien, L.T., Major, B.N., & Gilbert, P.N. (2012). Gender differences in personal entitlement: The roles of system justifying beliefs. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 34, 136-145.

Ruscher, J. B. (2012). Describing grief under cyclical versus linear conceptions of time. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 31, 533-546

Schlegel, R., Manning, M., Molix, L., Talley, A., & Bettencourt, B.A. (2012). Predictors of depressive symptoms among breast cancer patients during the first year post diagnosis. Psychology and Health, 27, 277-293

Talley, A., Kocum, L., Schlegel, R., Molix, L., & Bettencourt, B.A. (2012). Social roles, basic need satisfaction, and psychological health: The Central Role of Competence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38, 155-173.

Blodorn, A., & O'Brien, L.T.  (2011). Perceptions of racism in Hurricane Katrina-related events: Implications for collective guilt and mental health among White Americans. Analysis of Social Issues and Public Policy, 11, 127-140

Bradley-Geist, J. C., & Ruscher, J. B. (2011). Showcasing and subjugating minorities and women: Assignment to visible but trivial committees. Journal of Psychological Issues in Organizational Culture, 2, 5-18.

O'Brien, L. T., Mars, D., & Eccleston, C.P. (2011). System justifying ideologies and academic outcomes among first-year Latino college students. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 17, 406-414.

Ruscher, J. B. (2011). Moving forward: The effect of spatiotemporal metaphors on perceptions about grief . Social Psychology, 42, 225-230. [Special issue: Spatial Constraints on Social Cognition]

Henry, E., Schlegel, R., Talley, A., Molix, L., & Bettencourt, A (2010). How does a writing expression intervention influence psychological adjustment and physical health in a sample of breast cancer patients? Oncology Nursing Forum, 37, 749-757.

Molix, L. & Bettencourt, B. A. (2010). Predicting well-being among ethnic minorities: Psychological empowerment and ethnic group identity. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 40, 3, 513-533.

O'Brien, L.T., Crandall, C.S., Horstman-Reser, A., Warner, R., Alsbrooks, A., & Blodorn, A. (2010). But I'm no bigot: How prejudiced Americans maintain unprejudiced self-images. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 40, 917-946.

O'Brien, L.T., Garcia, D.G., Crandall, C.S., & Kordys, J. (2010). White Americans' opposition to affirmative action: Group interest and the harm to beneficiaries objection. British Journal of Social Psychology, 49, 895-903.

Ruscher, J. B., Wallace, D., Walker, K. M., & Bell, L. H. (2010). Constructive feedback in cross-race interaction. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 13, 603-619.

Kaplan, S. A., Santuzzi, A. M. & Ruscher, J. B. (2009). Elaborative metaperceptions in outcome-dependent situations: The diluted relationship between default self-perceptions and metaperceptions. Social Cognition. 27,602-615

O'Brien, L.T., Blodorn, A., Alsbrooks, A., Dube, R., Adams, G., & Nelson, J.C. (2009). Understanding White Americans' perceptions of racism in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 12, 431-444.

Schlegel, R.J., Talley, A.E., Molix, L.A., & Bettencourt, B.A. (2009). Rural Breast Cancer Patients, Coping and Depression: A Prospective Comparison Study. Psychology & Health, 24, 933-948.

Keller, J. & Molix, L. (2008). When Women Can't Do Math: The Interplay of Self-Construal, Group Identification, and Stereotypic Performance Standards. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 44, 437- 444.

O'Brien, L.T., Kinias Z., & Major, B.N. (2008). How status and stereotypes impact attributions to discrimination: The stereotype-asymmetry hypothesis. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 44, 405-412.

Talley, A., Molix, L., Schlegel, R. & Bettencourt, B. A. (2008). The Influence of Breast Cancer Survivors’ Perceived Partner Social Support and Need Satisfaction on Depressive Symptoms: A Longitudinal Analysis. Psychology & Health ,1-17.

Bettencourt, B. A., Molix, L., Talley, A., & Eubanks, J. (2007). Beneficial outcomes for minority and majority members: cross-cut role assignments within cooperative group settings. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 43, 553-564.

Bettencourt, B.A., Molix, L., Talley, A.E., & Westgate, S. (2007). Satisfaction with Health Care, Psychological Adjustment, and Community Esteem Among Breast Cancer Survivors. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 25, 59-75.

Bettencourt, B. A., Talley, A.E., Molix, L., Schlegel, R. & Westgate, S. (2007). Rural and urban breast cancer patients: Health locus of control and psychological adjustment. Psycho-Oncology, 17, 9, 932-939.

Bettencourt, B.A., Schlegel, R., Talley, A., & Molix, L. (2007). The breast cancer experience of rural women: A Literature Review. Psycho-Oncology, 16, 875 – 887.

Major, B.N., Kaiser, C.K., O'Brien, L.T., & McCoy, S.K. (2007). Fairing well in an unfair world: How worldviews moderate the impact of perceived discrimination on self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 1068-1086.

Adams, G., O’Brien, L.T., & Nelson, J.C. (2006). Perceptions of Racism in Hurricane Katrina: A Liberation Psychology Analysis. Analysis of Social Issues and Public Policy, 6, 215-235.

Adams, G., Thomas, Tormala, T., & O'Brien, L. T. (2006). The effect of self-affirmation on attributions of racism. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 42, 616-626.

Bettencourt, B. A., Molix, L., Talley, A., & Sheldon, K. (2006). Psychological need satisfaction in social groups: Social roles as mechanisms for well-being. In T. Postmes and J. Jetten (Eds.) Individuality and the group: Advances in social identity. (pp. 196-214).

O'Brien, L. T., & Hummert, M. L. (2006). Self-stereotyping, stereotyping threat, and memory performance in middle-aged adults. Social Cognition, 24, 338-358.

Ruscher, J. B., & Hammer, E. D. (2006). The development of shared stereotypic impressions in conversation: An emerging model, methods, and extensions to cross-group settings. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 25, 221-243.

Recent Presentations with Social Students

Boasso, A., &Ruscher, J. B. (2012, January). Narrative memory for trauma: Memory reconstruction, linguistics, and mental health. Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA

Doyle, D. & Molix, L. (2012, January). The Effect of Social Stigma on Romantic Relationship Functioning among African Americans. Poster will be presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA.

Tipler, C., van Bommel, T., & Ruscher, J. B. (2012, January). The impact of verticality on (meta)perceptions of emotional warmth. Embodied Cognition Preconference, Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA.

van Bommel, T., &Ruscher, J. B. (2012, January). Up in the Air: The Role of Spatial and Body Position in Receptivity to Advice. Embodied Cognition Preconference, Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA

Blodorn, A., O’Brien, L.T., Dziesietnik, S., Hammer, E., Adams, G., & Garcia, D. (2011, October). The cultural construction of STEM fields: Implications for performance and enjoyment of STEM courses. Paper presented at the Society of Experimental Social Psychology. Washington, DC.

O’Brien, L.T., & Blodorn, A. (2011, September). Social psychology and responses to hate crimes. Paper presented at the Royal Society of Edinburgh Seminar on Defining Racism in Criminal Law. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Gilbert, P., Villalobos, J., Simon, S., Adams, G., Garcia, D., Hammer, E., & O'Brien, L.T. (2011, May). From where does underrepresentation STEM? Sexism’s effect on women's STEM outcomes. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Washington, DC.

van Bommel, T., Boasso, A., & Ruscher, J. B. (2011, May). Up in the air: The effect of spatial metaphors on receptivity to advice. Association for Psychological Science. Washington DC

Blodorn, A., Hammer, E., Garcia, D.M., Adams, G., & O’Brien, L.T. (2011, April). Implicit gender-STEM stereotypes: Implications for STEM performance and enjoyment of STEM courses. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.

Boasso, A., Ruscher, J. B., & Sassane, C. (2011, January). Pronoun use among depressed victims of community trauma. Presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Antonio, TX

Simon, S., O’Brien, L. T., & Major, B. (2011, January). Attributions to Discrimination: The Case of Ingroup Rejection. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Antonio, TX.

Blodorn, A., & O’Brien, L.T. (2010, June). Perceptions of racism in Hurricane Katrina-related events: Implications for mental health among ethnic minorities and majorities. Paper presented at the bi-annual meeting of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. New Orleans, LA.

Boasso, A., Ruscher, J. B., & McGarty, D. (2010, June). Inept condolences to bereaved individuals. Presented at the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. New Orleans, LA.

Clark, B., Kottke, A., Ward, C., & Molix, L. (June, 2010). Be a New Orleanian: An examination of the relationships between community esteem, empowerment, and well-being. Talk presented at the 2010 meeting of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, New Orleans, LA.

Blodorn, A., Dziesietnik, S., & O’Brien, L.T. (2010, January). The cultural construction of math and science and the gender gap in performance: Is critical consciousness a source of resilience for women? Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Las Vegas, NV.

Boasso, A., & Ruscher, J. B., (2010, January). Mechanisms influencing reactions to bereaved individuals: The relations among social attraction, perseveration, mood and expected grief duration. Presentation at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Las Vegas, NV

Meadors, J.D., Alsbrooks, A., Labadie, J., & O’Brien, L.T. (2010, January). “I (don’t) feel your pain!” Effects of audience race and need to belong on reports of White privilege. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Las Vegas, NV.

O’Brien, L.T., Major, B., Simon, S., & Blodorn, A. (2010, January). Ingroup rejection and perceived discrimination among members of low status and high status groups. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Las Vegas, NV.

Boasso, A., & Ruscher, J. B. (2009, February). Women's benevolent sexism predicts impressions of recipients of an endearment term.Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Tampa,FL

Blodorn, A., & O’Brien, L.T. (2009, February). Perceptions of racism and mental health outcomes in post-Katrina New Orleans: The role of cognitive appraisals. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Tampa, FL.

O’Brien, L.T., & Blodorn, A. (2009, February). System justification in the face of disaster: Meritocracy beliefs and perceived racism among Black and White community residents of post-Katrina New Orleans. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Tampa, FL.

Benson, W., O’Brien, L.T., Overstreet, S., & Boasso, A. (2009, November). Racial disparities in mental health among Katrina survivors: The role of trauma exposure and life disruption. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Southeastern Social Psychologists. Fort Myers, Florida.

Alsbrooks, A., & O’Brien, L.T, (2008, February). Antecedents to Perceptions of Racism: The consequences of different conceptualizations of racism. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Blodorn, A., Eberle, J., & O’Brien, L.T. (2008, February). Perceptions of racism in Katrina-related events and mental health. Paper presented at the Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Preconference to the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Albuquerque, New Mexico.

O’Brien, L.T., Dube, R., & Alsbrooks, A. (2008, February). Conceptualizing racism: The role of cultural worldview. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Albuquerque, New Mexico.