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Research
Rachel Arnett's research explores how to bridge identity divides and cultivate inclusion.
Bridging Identity Differences
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Employees of all backgrounds face an ongoing challenge at work: determining whether and how to bring attention to social-identity differences such as race, gender, and social class. Challenging the common notion that social identities are a source of division or stigmatization, Rachel provides evidence that employees can express their marginalized identities in ways that bridge identity-related divides (Arnett, 2023, OS). She introduces the concept of rich cultural-identity expression—sharing meaningful insights about one’s cultural identity—and demonstrates that opening up about a minority racial, ethnic, or national identity in this way can foster, rather than undermine, connection and inclusion in diverse work environments. In her follow-up research, she considers the psychological burdens that accompany engaging in other complex identity management strategies such as identity curation (Arnett, Lee, Hewlin, 2026, ASQ), and highlights the importance of shifting the responsibility to organizations for creating environments that help employees bridge identity differences (Arnett, Flynn, Jiang, & Hewlin, under review; Arnett & Hu, 1st R&R). Additionally, her work reveals that high-status individuals, like those from prestigious backgrounds, often conceal their identities to promote social harmony, further expanding understanding of identity management dynamics across the status spectrum (Arnett & Sidanius, 2018, OBHDP).
Building Bridges to Inclusion
Rachel's second stream of research focuses on identifying and overcoming barriers to inclusion. She highlights barriers to inclusion such as organizations sending mixed messages about whether differences are welcome and rewarded (Arnett, Flynn, Jiang, & Hewlin, under review; Zhang, White, Arnett, Hayirli, Akinola, 1st R&R). Moreover, her research reveals that individuals who seek to speak up about the need for change often face significant deterrents due to perceived risks. Her work examines strategies employees can use to navigate these risks psychologically, by increasing willingness to speak up, and interpersonally, by reducing negative consequences. One line of work examines how fears of making errors or missteps shape willingness to support inclusion, identifying conditions that enable people to speak up despite these apprehensions (Arnett, Scruggs, & Chen, in prep). Another shows how adopting a growth mindset can empower employees to confront bias effectively while reducing the likelihood of backlash (Rattan, Kroeper, Arnett, Brown, and Murphy, 2022, JPSP). A third examines the unexpected potential pitfalls of relying on AI to overcome barriers to speaking up (Trzebiatowski, Scruggs, Arnett, in prep). Rachel’s earlier-stage work examines broader barriers to inclusion, including how occupational segregation and parental or societal role models shape perceptions of which career paths are attainable.
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