Assistant Professor of Psychology and Organizational Studies
About
My research examines the psychology of poverty and inequality, as well as their remedies. Integrating social psychology, cultural psychology, and behavioral science, I uncover psychological processes that undermine the economic mobility of people in poverty and simultaneously depress public will to address inequality. For example, in one line of research I find that, while aid policies and programs provide critical economic supports to people in poverty, their benefits may be limited by the prejudice and stigma that often accompany such policies, or by designs that reflect Western, middle-class models of self and agency. My research aims to identify drivers of social and cultural inclusion, economic equity, and their interaction within organizations, policies, and societies. At a more basic level, I examine the dynamic relationship of people’s sense of agency to their cultural, social, and economic contexts. In this work, I conduct lab and field experiments, often in interdisciplinary collaborations, in the US and in low- and middle-income countries, including in East and West Africa.
For prospective Ph.D. students: I will be reviewing applications this cycle for grad students interested in joining my lab in Fall 2023. The UM application deadline is Dec 1. My lab would be a good fit for people interested in: (1) studying topics like poverty, inequality, social class, and culture, (2) intervention science / behavioral science, (3) interdisciplinary research, and (4) conducting field research.
