Identities in Action:
Humans working together for good and evil achieve amazing and terrifying feats, reach heights and depths of indescribable emotion, and believe the strangest things. Our lab is interested in all the complexities of intergroup relations and group processes. We study stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination as well as allyship and coalitions - cooperation and respect as well as collective harm-doing.
How do people become motivated to confront or ignore injustice? And how do they learn to act out or to challenge social norms? How do political, religious, or cultural identities form and change? How can we strengthen or weaken a democracy? These are topics we engage in our research.
In general, our lab focuses on the changing social context rather than personality variables. And Winnifred has a mad passion for understanding the role of social norms (groups’ standards or rules for behaviour). The dominant questions running through our research are: how does who we are influence what we think is right; and how do people act out, resist, and change social rules?
How do people become motivated to confront or ignore injustice? And how do they learn to act out or to challenge social norms? How do political, religious, or cultural identities form and change? How can we strengthen or weaken a democracy? These are topics we engage in our research.
In general, our lab focuses on the changing social context rather than personality variables. And Winnifred has a mad passion for understanding the role of social norms (groups’ standards or rules for behaviour). The dominant questions running through our research are: how does who we are influence what we think is right; and how do people act out, resist, and change social rules?
Current Research Projects
Image: Craig Lassig/Reuters
Solidarity & AllyshipTulsi Achia investigates when and how helping disadvantaged groups can go wrong.
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Identities & Norms in ActionWinnifred Louis explores how identities and norms influence individuals' attitudes and actions.
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Image: Takver
Religious Collective ActionSusilo Wibisono asks how social identities influence collective action within religious movements.
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Image: Craig Lassig/Reuters
Sustained Group-based Efforts and Social ChangeHema Selvanathan asks how social change and the maintenance of the status quo are achieved through sustained group-based efforts.
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Global Pro-inclusion Norms and Social ChangeMichael Sweigart explores the psychological characteristics of individuals and groups who resist global pro-inclusion norms.
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Image: Takver
Norm Perception and Social ChangeLéïla Eisner investigates how people perceive societal norms about disadvantaged groups.
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Image: Craig Lassig/Reuters
Group Aggressiveness and Mass CrimeEunike M. Himawan asks how an individual’s moral choices can be compromised due to their membership in a certain group.
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Terrorism, Radicalization and DeradicalizationMukhamay Surya studies the psychology of terrorism, radicalization and deradicalization.
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Image: Takver
Terrorism Studies and Social identityMuhammad Syafiq asks how former terrorists transform their identities and reintegrate into society
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Historical Research Projects
Image: Bobbi Clemons
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Image: Alexas Fotos
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Image: AP/Laurent Cipriani
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Gi Chonu is seeking to understand why people change their political or religious identities and what impact changes have.
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Kiara Minto researches how norms influence responses to violent behaviour in intimate relationships.
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Zahra Mirnajafi examines how identities shape and are informed by experiences of inequality & discrimination.
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Our Collaborators
At the University of Queensland:
Elsewhere:
