Jenny (Yi) Xiao, Ph.D.

In general, I take a social cognitive approach to understanding how identities, including social, racial, and ethnic, identities, and various intergroup processes can shape our perception, attitudes, and actions. I have, along with my colleagues, proposed a Perceptual Model of Intergroup Relations, which outlines the role of perception in intergroup processes (Xiao et al., 2016, Psychological Inquiry). I have empirically evaluated the model in my doctoral dissertation and follow up research, examining the role of biased perception in simulated police decision making process involving members of racial minorities. In some of my current work, I explore the role of racial/ethnic identities in how Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) react to and cope with stigmatization and discrimination. In another line of work, I’ve tested interventions targeting implicit biases, with a focus on identity-based interventions. Taken together, my research examines how identities shape the most basic elements on human cognition, and provides broader implications for promoting social justice.