Field
Psychology
Project Description
This research investigates when expectations of shared perspectives form and how those expectations shape perception and behavior. Experiments will examine how expectations of shared reality influence interpersonal interactions, focusing on openness, empathy, kindness, and cooperation. Understanding the potentially critical role of shared reality expectations at zero acquaintance can identify opportunities to foster constructive dialogue and increase engagement across differences, thereby enhancing scientific knowledge and building more connected and empathetic societies.
Team
Steven Stroessner, Sydney Tran
Steven J. Stroessner is a Professor of Communication and Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. His research has examined cognitive and motivational aspects of stereotyping and prejudice, and he has published extensively on social categorization and the utilization of stereotypes in judgment. More recently, his research has examined social categorization processes in judgments of non-social entities ranging from shapes to robots.
Sydney Tran is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in Social Psychology. Her research focuses on examining the ways identities shape and are shaped by the contextual environment and the subsequent effect on personal and intergroup relations. She hopes to apply her research to ameliorate political and interpersonal conflict and promote empathy.