Power & Social Change Lab
Gender Relations as Power Relations
Relations between men and women, across the world, are shaped by differences in power. Women remain vastly underrepresented in positions of power, continue to earn less than men for the same work, and are disproportionately the victims of domestic violence. Our research asks why gender inequality is so difficult to overcome. Current projects examine gender-based separation in daily activities, gender asymmetry between couples in managing the mental load of family life, and gendered parenting.
Harmony and Social Change
For decades, reconciliation efforts have relied on models of cooperative, positive interaction between conflicting groups. Extensive work has shown that such interactions improve attitudes and emotions across group lines - outcomes long considered pivotal to promote more harmonious relations. My previous work challenged this assumption, showing that harmonious relations can, quite paradoxically, sustain the status quo by undermining disadvantaged group members' awareness of injustice and commitment to social change (reviewed here). Our current projects examine the potential long-term effects of failed attempts to sustain group-based harmony.
Collective Action
When people act on behalf of their group to achieve group goals, they are engaging in collective action. Throughout history, collective action has played a critical role in social change. Extensive body of research has addressed various predictors of collective action. In this line of research we aim to expand understanding of collective action by examining novel predictors on part of disadvantaged groups, in particular we investigate a sense of betrayal as a predictor of support for violent action among minority groups. We also study when members of disadvantaged groups are willing to join forces with advantaged groups in the fight for social change, and the psychological processes among advantaged groups that help explain their support for equality.
Power & Contact
Almost any encounter between members of different groups involves differences in power. In our work we investigate how societal power dynamics shape intergroup encounters. We study dialogue groups, intergroup friendships, clinical encounters, and political negotiations. Our research reveals that power position has a significant impact on how one approaches encounters, experiences them and is affected by them.