Research

As instances of sexual assault, racially-motivated aggression, and LGBTQA+ discrimination are increasingly coming to light, many well-intentioned leaders and employees from dominant groups (e.g., cisgender men, Caucasians, heterosexual individuals) are becoming increasingly interested in standing up as allies to their marginalized group co-workers. Her current research explores how prosocial individuals from dominant groups can play active roles as allies, and how dominant group members can be engaged as potential resources and committed partners for equity and inclusion. In projects with students and collaborators she is exploring motivations of allies, effectiveness of allyship interventions, bystander perceptions of allies, and organizational/institutional contexts conducive to allyship. 

In another stream of research, she  examines cultural factors affecting well-being at individual, organizational and societal levels. Her current projects are exploring a range of issues including positive approaches to combating gender-based violence in Congo, climate action in the Pacific Island Countries, and well-being in the United Arab Emirates. 

To know more or to collaborate, please email at meg.warren@wwu.edu

Research on Allyship, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

1. Warren, M. A. & Sekhon, T. (2024). How to become a better ally: Three priorities for leaders. MIT Sloan Management Review. Available at: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-to-become-a-better-ally-three-priorities-for-leaders/ 

*Also available in Portuguese in Brazil - Como liderar em ambientes de conflitos por meio de alianças – o caso DEI and published in the Middle East. 

2. Warren, M. A., Bock, H., Sekhon, T., & Winkelman, K. M. (2024). Allyship against interpersonal pregnancy discrimination: Exploring observers’ spontaneous responses toward pregnancy self-disclosure, interpersonal discrimination, and male allyship. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-11-2022-0332 . Available at: http://works.bepress.com/meg-warren/61/ 

3. Waldrop, R. J. & Warren, M. A. (2024). Exploring egalitarianism: A conceptual and methodological review on egalitarianism and impacts on positive intergroup relations. Behavioral Sciences, 14, 842. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14090842.

4. Warren, M. A., Torjesen, K. J., Wamue-Ngare, G., Warren, M. T., Sam, A. A. (2024). Leading change by leveraging cultural strength: When religious leaders champion gender equity with religion as a strength. In Adebowale Akande (Ed.). Leadership and politics: New perspectives in business, government, and society. Springer Nature Publishers.

5. Warren, M. A., & Schwam, A. (2023). So you think you are an ally? Effects of (in)congruence between men's self-perceptions and women's perceptions of men's values and allyship on women's inclusion and vitality.  Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12415

*Findings from this research were translated for a broader audience in the Scientific American - https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/men-think-they-are-strong-workplace-allies-women-disagree/ 

6. McAuley, A., Bester, M., Bolton, L., & Warren , M. A. (2023). Are attitudes towards people with disability preventing positive change in the UAE workforce? Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 9, 58–78. 

7. Warren, M. A. (2023). Challenges and benefits of bringing a partnership lens to allyship. Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies, 10(1), article 5. https://doi.org/10.24926/ijps.v10i1.5348

8. Warren, M. A. & Warren, M. T. (2022). What effective allies do differently. Harvard Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2022/12/research-what-effective-allies-do-differently 

9. Lau, V., Scott V., Warren, M. A., & Bligh, M., (2022). Moving from problems to solutions: A review of gender equality interventions at work using an ecological systems approach. Journal of Organizational Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2654

10. Warren, M. A., Sekhon, T., Winkelman, K. M., & Waldrop, R. J. (2022). Should I ‘check my emotions at the door’ or express how I feel? Role of emotion regulation versus expression of male leaders speaking out against sexism in the workplace. Journal of Applied Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12878

11. Warren, M. A., Sekhon, T., & Waldrop, R. J. (2022). Highlighting strengths in response to discrimination: Developing and testing an allyship Positive Psychology Intervention. International Journal of Wellbeing. 12(1), 21-41. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v12i1.1751

12. Warren, M.A., Winkelman, K. M., & Waldrop, R. J. (2022). Emotion management by organizational leaders who confront prejudice: Exploring emotion and social regulation of allies. In Harper, D. (Ed.). Advancing Interpersonal Emotion Regulation and Social Regulation (pp. 150-176). IGI Global Publishers. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-6684-2478-0.ch007

13. Mendoza-Lepe, R., Warren, M. A., Crano, W. D., & Sam, A. A. (2022). Distancing from a stigmatized identity: Explaining hostility by marginalized racial groups toward new immigrants. In Popescu, C. (Ed.). Handbook of Research on SDGs for Economic Development, Social Development, and Environmental Protection (pp. 66-89). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-5113-7.ch004

14. Warren, M. A. & Warren, M. T. (2021). The EThIC model of virtue-based allyship development: A new approach to equity and inclusion in organizations. Journal of Business Ethics. DOI: 10.1007/s10551-021-05002-z

*Deemed by the journal to be a critical contribution for social justice and voluntarily provided open access 

*David Merrifield Faculty Research Award (recognizes potential for improving people’s lives), Western Washington University 2022

15. Warren, M. A., Bordoloi, S. D., & Warren, M. T. (2021). Good for the goose and good for the gander: Examining positive psychological benefits of male allyship for men and women. Psychology of Men and Masculinities. DOI: 10.1037/men0000355 

*Findings from this research were translated for a broader audience in The Conversation, which has since received coverage in over 175 news media outlets worldwide - https://theconversation.com/why-women-need-male-allies-in-the-workplace-and-why-fighting-everyday-sexism-enriches-men-too-164384

*Selected as outstanding paper by the Psychology of Men and Masculinities and featured as such by APA Division 51: Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinities.

*Dennis R. Murphy Faculty Research Award, Western Washington University 2021

16. Warren, M. A. & Bordoloi, S. D. (2021). Going beyond good colleagues: Men's and women's perspectives on allyship behaviors toward women faculty in male-dominated disciplines in academia. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000369

*Findings from this research were translated in the popular higher education media outlet Inside Higher Ed - https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2022/03/10/what-exceptional-male-allies-do-support-female-faculty-opinion?

17. Warren, M. A., Donaldson, S. I., & Galport, N. C. (2021). Using the science of positive psychology in the formative evaluation of social justice interventions: A case example. Evaluation and Program Planning.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2021.102017

18. Warren, M. A. & Bordoloi, S. D. (accepted). Institutional betrayal and the role of male allies in supporting women in higher education. In R. Martinez & M. J. Casper (Eds.), Who belongs? Institutional betrayal in higher education. University of Arizona Press.

19. Pasha-Zaidi, N., Warren, M. A., El Ashmawi, Y., & Kowai-Bell, N. (2021). Promoting allyship among South Asian and Arab Muslims toward Black and Latino/a Muslims in American Islamic centers. In Pasha-Zaidi, N. (Ed.), Toward a Positive Psychology of Islam and Muslims, pp. 307-331. Springer Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72606-5_14

20. Torjesen, K. J., Warren, M. A., & Wamue-Ngare, G. (2021). Guidance for applied cross-national research in under-resourced countries: Lessons from a gender-based violence intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In K. C. McLean (Ed). Cultural methods in psychology: Describing and transforming cultures, pp. 324-355. New York: Oxford University Press.

21. Wamue-Ngare, G., Warren, M. A., & Torjesen, K. J. (2021). Combating gender-based violence and fostering women’s well-being: Religion as a tool for achieving sustainable development goals in Congo. In Popescu, C. R. (Ed.). Handbook of Research on Novel Practices and Current Successes in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (pp. 53-69). IGI Global Publishers. 

*Republished by publisher in 2023 in Research anthology on modern violence and its impact on society, (1147-1163). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-7464-8

22. Meyer, S. & Warren, M. A. (2021). Exploring the role of character strengths in the endorsement of gender equality and pro-environmental action in the UAE. Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 7, 65-80. 

23. Warren, M. A. & Bordoloi, S. D. [Special Issue Editorial] (2020). When COVID-19 exacerbates inequities: The path forward for generating wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 10(3), 1-6. Doi:10.5502/ijw.v10i3.1357.

*Served as editor of a special issue on the disparate impacts of COVID-19 on marginalized communities

24. Warren, M. A., Donaldson, S. I., Lee, J. Y., & Donaldson, S. I. (2019). Reinvigorating gender research in management using a positive work and organizations perspective. International Journal of Management Reviews, 21, 498- 518. doi:10.1111/ijmr.12206 

*Best early career paper presentation award 2019 from the International Positive Psychology Association at the World Congress on Positive Psychology, 2019, Melbourne, Australia

*Dennis R. Murphy Faculty Research Award for outstanding contributions in published research, Western Washington University 2019      

Warren, M. A. (2018). Exemplary allyship: Raising the bar for inclusiveness in the workplace. Unpublished dissertation.

*Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) 2020 S. Rains Wallace Dissertation Award (for best dissertation) 

*International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) Honorable Mention for Best Dissertation 2019 

*Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) Lee Hakel Graduate Student Scholarship  

25. Wilder, N., Rao, M. A. & Donaldson, S.I. (2016). Positive psychology’s contributions and prospects for engaging differences at work. In Laura Morgan Roberts, Lynn Wooten, and Martin Davidson (Eds.) Positive organizing in a global society: Understanding and engaging differences for capacity-building and inclusion (pp. 17 – 23). New York: Taylor and Francis.

26. Rao, M. A., & Donaldson, S. I. (2015). Expanding opportunities for diversity in positive psychology: An examination of gender, race, and ethnicity. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 56(3), 271-282. doi:10.1037/cap0000036

27. Rao, M. A. (2014). Cultivating openness to change in multicultural organizations: Assessing the value of appreciative discourse. Organization Development Journal, 32 (3), 75-88.

Research on Cultural Factors Affecting Wellbeing 

28. Lambert, L., Joshanloo, M., Warren, M. A., Christiani, K., Lomas, T., Cody, B., … Al Sabah, I. (2023). Promoting kindness through the positive theatrical arts: Assessing Kuwait’s Boomerang program. Psychological Studies.

29. Lambert, L., Draper, Z., Warren, M. A., & Mendoza-Lepe, R. (2022). Assessing a happiness and wellbeing course in the United Arab Emirates: It is what they want, but is it what they need? International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-022-00080-4

30. Crookes, A. E., Warren, M. A., Meyer, S. (2022). When threat is imminent, does character matter for climate action? Exploring environmental concerns, well-being, and character strengths in the Pacific Island Countries. South African Journal of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/0081246322112936

31. Crookes, A. E. & Warren, M. A. (2022). Authorship and building psychological research in LMICs: A view from the Pacific Island Nation of Fiji. South African Journal of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/00812463211073371

*LMICs is an acronym for Low- and Middle-Income Countries

32. Crookes, A. E. & Warren, M. A. (2022). Building a global psychological science through research in the Pacific Island Nation of Fiji: A review of the literature. Discover Psychology, 2, 15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-022-00029-3

33. Crookes, A. E. & Warren, M. A. (2022). Understanding happiness in the Pacific Islands: A qualitative study with university staff in Fiji. In F. Irtelli, & F. Gabrielli (Eds.). Happiness - Biopsychosocial and Anthropological Perspectives. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106771

34. Lambert, L., Draper, Z. A., Warren, M. A., Joshanloo, M., Chiao, E-L., Schwam, A. & Arora, T., (2022). Conceptions of happiness matter: The relationships between fear of and fragility of happiness and psychological and physical wellbeing. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23, 535-560. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-021-00413-1

35. Lambert, L., Joshanloo, M., Marquez, J. M., Cody, B., Arora, T., Warren, M. A., Aguilar, L., Samways, M., & Teasel, S. (2022). Boosting student wellbeing despite a pandemic: Positive psychology interventions and the impact of sleep in the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-022-00066-2

36. Lambert, L., Warren, M.A., Waldrop, R. J., Alsubaiei, S., Eubanks, A. C., & Fisher, J. L. (2022). Beyond us: Building collective wellbeing. In A.H. Kemp & D. J. Edwards (Eds.). Broadening the scope of wellbeing science: Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives on human flourishing and wellbeing. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18329-4_3 

37. Basurrah, A., Di Blasi, Z., Lambert, L., Murphy, M., Warren, M. A., Setti, A., Al-Haj Baddar, M., & Shrestha, T. (2022). The effects of positive psychology interventions in Arab countries: A systematic review. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-being. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12391

38. Lambert, L., Warren, M. A., Schwam, A., & Warren, M. T. (2021). Positive psychology interventions in the United Arab Emirates: Boosting wellbeing - and changing culture? Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02080-0

39. Haider, S. M., Saleh, M. A. Q., Bawazir, A. A., Warren, M. A., Meyer, S., & Inocencio, S. (2021). Short reports: Exploring the role of optimism on psychosomatic disorders and life stressors among Yemeni medical students. Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 7, 122-139.

40. Basurrah, A., Lambert, L., Setti, A., Murphy, M., & Warren, M. A., Shrestha, T., di Blasi, Z., (2021). Effects of positive psychology interventions in Arab countries: A protocol for a systematic review. BMJ Open, 11:e052477. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052477 

41. Lambert, L., Mulay-Shah, A., Warren, M. A., & Younis, Y. (2019). The pursuit of national wellbeing policies across the GCC: The what, how, and why? In L. Lambert & N. Pasha-Zaidi (Eds.), Positive Psychology in the Middle East/North Africa: Research, Policy, and Practise (pp. 11-35). UAE: Springer.

42. Samways, M. Teasel, S. Waldrop, R. J., Chiao, E-L. & Warren, M. A. (2019). Short reports: Positive education in Dubai: A pilot study of teacher experiences. Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(1), 97-104. 

43. Schuilenberg, S., Warren, M. A., Crookes, A., Al Serkal, A., Donaldson, S. I., & McBride, D. (2016). Professional psychology associations in the GCC: Positive institutions whose time has come. Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 2(1), 61-78. 

44. Rao, M. A., Donaldson, S. I., & Doiron, K. M. (2015). Positive psychology research in the Middle East and North Africa. Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 1(1), 60-76.

Research on the Science of Positive Psychology 

45. Waters, L. E., Cameron, K., Nelson-Coffey, K., Crone, D. L., Kern, P., Lomas, T., Oades, L., Owen, R., Pawelski, J. O., Rashid, T., Warren, M. A., White, M., Williams, P. (2021). Collective wellbeing and post traumatic growth during COVID-19: How positive psychology can help families, schools, workplaces, and marginalized communities. Journal of Positive Psychology.  DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2021.1940251

*Global leaders in positive psychology were brought together for an expert piece on contributions of positive psychology during the pandemic. Authorship was determined by alphabetical order of last name, except for the first author.

46. Lambert, L., Warren, M. A., Sam, A., & Ghonaem, E. (2021). Perspectives: Positive psychology tackles “wicked problems.” Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 7, 19-29.

47. Lambert, L., Warren, M. A., Brulé, G., O’Brien, C., Murray, S., Mulay-Shah, A., Passmore, H-A., Zelenski, J. M., Asfour, M., & Alsubaiei, S. (2020). Perspectives: Using positive psychology and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to build a better world. Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 6, 1-28. 

48. Lambert, L., & Warren, M. A. (2020). Editorial: The year to go beyond. Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 6(1), i-iv.  

49. Lambert, L., Topolskaya, E., Warren, M. A., & Habib, M. A. (2019). Positivity at work: It's no longer a contradiction! In L. Lambert & N. Pasha-Zaidi (Eds.), Positive psychology in the Middle East/North Africa: Research, Policy, and Practise (pp. 133-156). UAE: Springer.

50. Lambert, L., & Warren, M. A. (2019). Perspectives: Be brave, make a real impact: Why the MEJPP should be one of your top publishing choices. Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 5(1), 31-41. 

51. Warren, M. T., & Warren, M. A. (2019). Measuring high-quality work relationships: A test of model and gender invariance. Journal of Personnel Psychology, 18, 46–52. https://doi.org/10.1027/1866-5888/a000217

52. Hendriks, T., Warren, M. A., Schotanus-Dijkstra, M., de Jong, J., & Bolmeijer, E. (2019). How WEIRD* are positive psychology interventions? A bibliometric analysis of randomized controlled trials on the science of well-being. Journal of Positive Psychology, 14 (4), 489-501. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2018.1484941  

*WEIRD is acronym for studies based on Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic populations 

53. Kim, H., Doiron, K. M., Warren, M. A., & Donaldson, S. I. (2018). The international landscape of positive psychology research: A systematic review. International Journal of Wellbeing, 8(1), 50-70. doi:10.5502/ijw.v8il.651

*This paper won the “IJW Best Article of the Year” Award of 2018 based on citations and readership

*This paper was awarded 3rd place by American Psychological Association’s International Psychology Division (Division 52) at the Western Psychological Association Convention, 2016 

54. Ackerman, C., Warren, M. A., & Donaldson, S. I. (2018). Scaling the heights of positive psychology: A systematic review of measurement scales. International Journal of Wellbeing, 8(2), 1-21. doi:10.5502/ijw.v8i2.734

55. Warren, M. A., Donaldson, S. I., & Lee, J. Y. (2018). Applying positive psychology to advance relationship science. In M. A. Warren & S. I. Donaldson (Eds.), Toward a positive psychology of relationships: New directions in theory and research (pp.9-33). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger Publishers.

56. Warren, M. A., Donaldson, S. I., & Luthans, F. (2017). Taking positive psychology to the workplace: Positive organizational psychology, positive organizational behavior, and positive organizational scholarship. In M. A. Warren & S. I. Donaldson (Eds.), Scientific advances in positive psychology (pp.195-227). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger Publishers.

57. Warren, M. A., Donaldson, S. I., & Donaldson. S. I. (2017). Evaluating scientific progress in positive psychology. In M. A. Warren & S. I. Donaldson (Eds.), Scientific advances in positive psychology  (pp. 1-9). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger Publishers.

58. Donaldson, S. I., Dollwet, M. & Rao, M. A. (2015). Happiness, excellence, and optimal functioning revisited: Examining the peer-reviewed literature linked to positive psychology. Journal of Positive Psychology, 10 (3), 185-195. 

PREPRINTS:

59. Warren, M. T., Warren, M. A., Smith, B., & LaVelle, J. (2022, July 31). How can I lead social change when I feel like a fake? Exploring the impostor phenomenon among social justice allies in the workplace. PsyArXiv Preprint.  https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/w8ubv

60. Warren, M. A., Warren, M. T., Bock, H., & Smith, B. (2022, July 29). “If you want to be an ally, what is stopping you?” Mapping the landscape of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual barriers to allyship in the workplace using ecological systems theory. PsyArXiv Preprint. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/py3m5

61. Warren, M. A., Warren, M. T., Niemiec, R., Lutz, E. T. H., & Fogel, C. A. (2024, April 22). Beyond the extraverted and courageous male ally: Personality profiles and character strengths that position men to address gender bias through ‘Committed’ and ‘Relationship-Building’ allyship strategies in the workplace. PsyArXiv Preprint. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/vt7bf

62. Warren, M. A., Warren, M. T., Niemiec, R., & Fogel, C. A. (2024, April 22). Character strengths and allyship:  Exploring character profiles that position employees to address bias at work. PsyArXiv Brief Report Preprint https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/t5wbs