My research interests are at the interface of social, cultural and developmental psychology. Broadly speaking, I am interested in understanding how the self-concept (including social identities, such as racial identity, and personal identities. such as possible selves) functions to influence judgment, decision-making and real world behaviors. I term this model "identity-based motivation" and am interested in understanding both the process of identity-based motivation as well as contextual cues of identity.

Questions that interest me include: How does racial-ethnic identity influence the sense individuals make of themselves, others, and social situations? How do cultural frame and self-focus influence thinking more generally? Why do some individuals engage in risky behaviors while others stay in school, do their homework, floss their teeth, eat healthy and so on? How are these decisions influenced by their identities and the social comparisons they make--the successes and failures of similar others? Who volunteers or feels obligated to help? For whom is inter-group conflict intensely personal and chronically salient?

My interest in all of these specific questions stems from my interest in the interplay between self-concept, motivation and cognition as applied to social issues or real world problems, taking into account the ways that race-ethnicity, minority status and culture frame the sense we make of ourselves and others. I am particularly interested in the implications of culture and stigma on goal choice, motivational persistence and preferred cognitive style and understanding how these processes can be cued without conscious awareness.