This Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Minority Post-Doctoral Fellowship will support a two-year research and training project for an underrepresented minority in science and engineering. The project focuses on how the meanings of social identities in contexts impact contingencies of self-worth and self-validation goals. The combination of experience sampling methodology and laboratory experiments will provide a depth and breadth of information on the relationship between these constructs. By using different methodologies this work will provide insight into how social identity threat operates in the "real world" so that external validity is maximized, as well as help ascertain causal relationships. Thus, this proposal outlines important work in advancing our current knowledge on social identity threat. The applicant is qualified to conduct this research due to both her theoretical and methodological expertise. The applicant has conducted research with Jennifer Crocker on stigma and self-esteem and Monique Fleming on social identity. Her work in these areas has made her an expert in social identity and contingencies of self-worth. In addition, the applicant has conducted research using experience sampling methodology. In both her dissertation and another project, she has used this technique of data collection. Moreover, the sponsoring scientist for this project, Claude Steele, is the leading researcher on social identity threat. The activities in this proposal both advance our knowledge and understanding of social identity threat and promote optimal training for the applicant. The studies in this proposal expand our understanding of social identities in contexts in a unique and novel way. Furthermore, this proposal highlights the training that the applicant will receive at Stanford University. Thus, continuing her training at Stanford University will greatly broaden her research skills and knowledge in a way that could not be done at any other university. Moreover, the implications of this work are quite broad. Social identity threat is inherent in most diverse situations. Thus, as college settings are becoming more and more diverse, there is an increasing potential for students to experience social identity threat. This research investigates when and how academic contexts can be perceived as threatening. But more than diagnosing the problem, research outlined in this proposal will also provide insight into how to inform policies to alleviate these threats. This work suggests ways to create identity safety for social identities that can be devalued in a particular context. Thus, there are many potential benefits that this work has for educational settings. Although the proposed work focuses only on two social identities (i.e., race and gender) and primarily on academic settings, these findings are applicable for any social identity that can be devalued in any given context. We all have numerous social identities. In any given situation, one or more of those identities has the potential be devalued. Thus, this work has implications beyond the classroom. In addition, this research will be disseminated broadly. This work will be presented at national conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. In so doing, this work will be able to enhance scientific understanding of the impact of social identities in different contexts.
