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 Publishers. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-5113-7.ch004

Discrimination is often perceived as stemming from outgroups. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 10 focused on reducing inequalities calls attention also to intragroup hostilities. In the US, intragroup hostilities between Latinos/as might occur if disassociation from a stigmatized sub-group protects one’s status. This chapter tests potential disassociation effects by examining whether US Latinos/as distance themselves from an associated stigmatized identity by supporting adverse policies regarding Latino/a immigrants. Two studies (n=273 and n=8634) found that citizenship status was linked to support for adverse policies: more US-born Latinos/as considered immigrants a burden than Latinos/as of unknown status or non-citizens. Some Latino/a citizens might cut off reflected failure associated with being an immigrant because distancing might support coping with cultural demands of US residence and distancing from recent immigrants might prevent transference of negative stereotypes. As inequalities increase overall in the post-COVID-19 era, intragroup bias may worsen outcomes for stigmatized sub-groups.

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.

Recently, there has been new energy focused on the role of positive psychology in contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this study, we explore whether people’s best qualities or character strengths can and should be leveraged to increase endorsement of the SDGs of gender equality and environmentalism. Findings from this pilot study with a primarily female sample from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) shows that many character strengths were associated with patriarchal attitudes and not associated with support for gender equality in general. However, several character strengths were associated with support for specific issues such as stopping gender-based violence and support of women’s work and leadership. Many character strengths were also associated with both pro-environmental attitudes and actions. Thus, this study offers a nuanced picture that points to when character strengths may be leveraged to support SDGs and when not.

*Sierra Meyer a BS psychology, business minor student at Western led this project as part of her Independent Study.

Leslie Aguilar, BA International Business student, assisted in the initial stages of the project with identifying relevant literature and measures, and setting up an initial survey. 

Winkelman, K. M.* & Warren, M. A. (January 2020). A recipe for inclusive leadership: Virtues and communication strategies that make leaders great. Poster presentation at the 5th Western Positive Psychological Association Conference, Claremont, CA

This poster presentation summarizes the intersections of research between organizational virtuousness literature, communication studies literature, and inclusive/authentic leadership literature. There are gaps in each field that are filled or explained by the other, aiding in creating a more holistic understanding of positive organizational practices. In examining the relationship between organizational virtuousness, communication studies, and inclusive leadership practices, several common themes for how  we communicate our values, build emotional and social capital, and flourish in organizational settings are explored. Firstly, we examine the existing literature available about organizational virtuousness. Then we take a step further and look at how communication helps communicate values in order to strengthen the construction of virtues as well as add to the subsequent benefits of virtuousness. Last, this paper examines the role of leadership in fostering growth, reinforcing behavior, and providing good context for virtues to flourish. The implications for these findings are vast, and can help better understand how to create virtuous and inclusivity in environments. These themes build on the baseline understanding of organizational virtuousness, examining further as to how we do our best to be our best through effective communication and leadership practices.

*Katie Winkelman (BA Communication Studies, Business Minor at Western) presented this research at a conference in California.

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

The mission of positivepsychology is to explore and build wellbeing in the lives of individuals the world over; however, like all theoretical frameworks, its evolution propels researchers and practitioners into increasingly complex issues. Developments in the field promote a broader view on wellbeing, focusing onculture, religion, social interactions, and climate action. Global issues have encouraged the need for a systemic view of wellbeing that is beyond the remit of individualsand extends to organizations, governments and societies alike. In short, the time has come for a global, contextual and systemic understanding of wellbeing. Here, we address the development of these frameworks and three emerging areas as examples of their utility; namely, climate change, egalitarianism as an aid to inter-group relations, and the need for purposeful non-Western views of wellbeing.

* Rachael Waldrop is a MS Psych graduate from Western

Waldrop, R. J.*, Warren, M. A., Bock H.* (in progress). Egalitarianism in personality and social psychology: A systematic review and research agenda.

The dominant social psychological perspective on intergroup relations emphasizes values, goals, motivations, and emotions that lead to prejudice reduction. Factors that can instead promote egalitarianism has been emerging, yet central theoretical frameworks have not been formally proposed and motivations influencing these outcomes have largely been underdeveloped. To address this gap, we engage a positive psychology lens to explore how and why do people overcome their internalized biases to seek out successful and positive intergroup relations. We look to the positive counterparts of traditional prejudice-reduction models to begin building a framework of understanding. As a first step, we reviewed the literature on values that guide intergroup behavior. After scanning the 16,540 records that emerged in PsycInfo using keywords “egalitarian,” “nonprejudice,” and “intergroup,” we assessed 110 articles for eligibility. Among the relevant articles (N = 42), we analyzed authors’ definitions, methods of measurement, types of processes, and outcomes associated with egalitarian and nonprejudiced values as they related to positive intergroup behavior. Overall, there was notable variability in how researchers conceptualized and observed egalitarian values in this context. We discuss the five broad categories of egalitarianism (prejudice reduction, positive expression, concern for others, low social-dominance orientation, and universal orientation) and how they each relate to positive or negative, and approach or avoidant outcomes. In attempting to address the lack of a centralized theory for egalitarianism, we propose a model for studying positive values in intergroup contexts.

*Rachael Waldrop, MS Psych student, was awarded a student scholarship in recognition of her outstanding student presentation on this paper from the Western Positive Psychology Association Conference, 2020, Claremont, CA

* Haley Bock is a current graduate student in the MS psychology program at Western.