The CRIS Lab
Current Projects
Scroll to learn more about the current projects that the graduate students in our lab are conducting.
Pluralistic Identities and Prejudice Reduction
Zoey Eddy
Zoey’s research examines (1) experiences of people with pluralistic identities (i.e., identities that do not easily fit singular, static social categories), such as multiracial, multicultural, bisexual/pansexual people, and (2) pathways towards reducing prejudice. She studies topics like multiracial microaggressions, parental racial socialization, social-emotional well-being and lay beliefs about prejudice. Zoey is a recipient of the National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship for her work on these topics.
Ableism & Disability Stigma
Tory Benson
Tory studies disability as a stigmatized social identity and how social norms and values shape the way disability is conceptualized. Her lines of research include: (1) perceptions (e.g., of competence, agency) of people with disabilities, and how this varies based on disability type, (2) when and how disabled people choose to disclose their disability, and how to facilitate positive disclosure experiences, & (3) how these processes are shaped by contextual factors,
like cultural norms, and intersectional identities, like gender.
Origin, Experience, and Reduction of Prejudice and Discrimination.
Brianna Lopez
Bri’s research centers around the origin, experience, and reduction of prejudice and discrimination with a particular interest in the experience of multiracial and multiethnic individuals. She is interested in (1) the development of racial self-identification in multiracial individuals, (2) how diversity initiatives and prejudice reduction interventions may change the racial categorization of racially ambiguous faces, (3) how individual characteristics and belief systems, such as racial essentialism or egalitarian values, impact perceptions of multiracial individuals by monoracial individuals and (4) examining prejudice reduction interventions more generally, and determining what methods are most and least effective.
Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System
Mariah Lutchman
Mariah studies racial disparities in the criminal justice system by conceptualizing criminal justice contact as a social determinant of health. Her lines of research include: (1) examining how direct and vicarious police exposure affects the physical and mental health outcomes of marginalized groups, (2) understanding the ways in which police exposure compounds stress and shapes family dynamics within Black households, and (3) identifying opportunities for systemic reform within the criminal justice system and related institutions to reduce inequities and promote community well-being.