Sarah Gaither
Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University

Multiple Identities, Intergroup Contact, and a Reduction of Biases.
Rises in immigration, increases in interracial marriage, and shifts in language surrounding biracial and transgender populations make it essential for research to not only acknowledge that we all belong to multiple social categories, but that there are tangible benefits that stem from the diversity that each person encompasses. My work has established differences for biracial versus monoracial populations, highlighting that the outcome of a social interaction hinges not only on the identities of the two individuals involved, but also on the salience of those individuals’ multiple social identities in that local moment. Thus, by leveraging insight from multiracial individuals to use identity flexibility as a tool to navigate diverse spaces, my future work will focus on: 1) the role common or multiple identities can play in reducing social biases; 2) further identify the mechanism behind identity flexibility; and 3) continue to specify the boundary effects surrounding intergroup contact and its impact on both the development of stereotypes and our own social behavior. Thus, although our default may not be to reflect about our multiple identities and diverse experiences, I propose that when people do, it may have positive consequences for a variety of outcomes including fostering a more inclusive and tolerant society.