In the SASI Lab, we conduct both basic and applied research focused on two main areas:

a) identifying the individual (e.g., state and trait emotions; attitudes and beliefs) and contextual factors that shape people’s willingness and likelihood to engage with others across social identities (e.g., political orientation, race, gender identity, sexuality, religion)

b) developing and testing interventions that increase a person's likelihood to engage with others across social identity groups.

A central goal of our work is to better understand how these individual and contextual factors influence people’s attitudes and behaviors in regard to interacting with others who are different from them. Insights from the basic research directly inform our applied efforts to design and evaluate interventions that promote deeper understanding and more meaningful discourse and dialogue across social identities. 

Our broader mission is to conduct research that advances a more compassionate and connected world—one in which we recognize that our own well-being and ability to thrive are deeply intertwined with the well-being and thriving of our neighbors.