People
Graduate Student
Office
175 E McKinly
(302) 831-1140
(302) 831-3645 Fax
Lab
175 J McKinly Lab
Primary Advisor
James M. Jones
Shelly Engelman
Racism, ideologies, cultural narratives
My research interests, broadly defined, focus on the relationship between ideologies or belief systems and racial prejudice. I approach this issue from two directions:
In my primary line of research, I am exploring and developing an individual difference measure called the Universal Context of Fairness (UCF). The UCF frames the race narrative for Whites and emphasizes universal fairness as the default basis of judgment and interpretation of race-based events. The UCF asserts that fairness is an accessible and active construct for Whites that places the individual at the center of an explanatory framework. The motivational consequences of the UCF serve to preserve a belief in fairness. For example, when the fairness narrative is challenged (e.g., due to historical reminds of racial discrimination), Whites may guard against this threat by (1) Justifying the status quo, or (2) Enhancing justice by reinstating fairness. The former often leads to antisocial behaviors and the latter to prosocial behaviors.
My secondary line of research focuses on the nature and prevalence of various intergroup ideologies and the implications of these different belief systems for intergroup interactions, socio-economic policy support, and interracial attitudes. Specifically, my research examines three ideologies: Colorblindness, Multiculturalism, and Critical Multiculturalism. Critical multiculturalism challenges us to address racial and cultural issues as a problem endemic to the legacy of colonialism and slavery, and rooted in economic inequities and longstanding cultural stereotypes.
Recent Publications
Engelman, S. , & Jones, J.M. (2008). Beyond multiculturalism: Evaluating critical multiculturalism as an intergroup ideology. Poster presented at the Society of Personality and Social Psychology Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Jones, J.M., Engelman, S. , Campbell, S.D, & Turner, C. (in press). Worlds apart: The universality of racism leads to divergent social realities. S. Demoulin, J.P. Leyens & J.F. Dovidio (Eds.) Intergroup Misunderstandings: Impact of divergent social realities. New York: Psychology Press.
Engelman, S. , & Jones, J.M. (2007). Confronting racial injustice: The moderating effects of the Universal Context of Fairness (UCF) for Whites. Poster presented at the Psychology and Social Justice Conference, NYU, NY.
Engelman, S. , & Jones, J.M. (2007). The palliative function of the Universal Context of Fairness (UCF) on Whites’ responses to the legacy of racism. Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
Jones, J.M., Engelman, S. , Campbell, S.D., & Turner, C.E. (2007). Worlds Apart: Divergent effects of Racism Salience for Blacks and Whites. Paper presented at the Invitational Conference on Victim and/or Perpetrator: Discriminatory processes in Intergroup Relations. Warsaw, Poland.
Engelman, S. , & Jones, J.M. (2006). The mediating effects of White guilt on the distribution of funds following Black oppression prime. Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Association Conference, Baltimore, MD.
Jones, J.M., Campbell, S.D., Turner, C.E., & Engelman, S. (2006). Coping with racism: Moderating effects of UCR and TRIOS. Paper presented at the Invitational conference on “Identity, Discrimination and Well-Being” at Kent State University, OH.
