Publications

Previous research suggests that highlighting minority cultural identities in the workplace can lead to professional penalties, but this paper provides promising evidence to the contrary.  This research examines the power of employees of color engaging in rich cultural-identity expression: meaningful conversations about their racial, ethnic, and national backgrounds. Contrary to the belief that highlighting cultural differences leads to bias and discrimination, three studies reveal that engaging in rich cultural-identity expression can increase—rather than decrease—majority-group coworkers' inclusive behaviors toward employees of color. This was true even when employees of color shared information that was negative (e.g., discrimination experiences). The power of rich cultural-identity expression is the ability to enhance majority-group employees' status perceptions of, feelings of closeness to, and ability to learn from coworkers from cultural minority groups. These benefits were not observed when employees of color engaged in surface-level cultural expression or non-cultural self-disclosure. This research provides a path for employees of color to be authentic at work while gaining—rather than jeopardizing—inclusion. ​

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Runner Up for the AOM OB Best Paper Award
This paper was the 2024 runner-up for the Academy of Management Organizational Behavior Division Best Paper Award, recognizing its contribution to advancing research in organizational behavior.

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This research investigates whether people respond more favorably to a person who confronts bias when the confronter is perceived as having a growth mindset about bias (i.e., the confronter believes that people's biases are changeable rather than fixed). This paper explores whether observers perceive growth mindsets about bias in individuals who confront biased comments (compared to those who remain silent) and if perceptions of a growth mindset reduce backlash against confronters. Across 10 studies, the findings show that people associate confronters with stronger growth beliefs on bia, regardless of whether they directly observe the confrontation or experience it themselves. Moreover, confronters can intentionally convey a growth mindset by indicating that they are confronting because they believe others can learn about their biases and improve. This growth perception reduces negative reactions toward confronters, particularly in measures of interpersonal warmth and future interaction willingness. For individuals who observe bias in the workplace and wonder whether it is worthwhile to confront it, this research suggests a promising pathway toward doing so - by drawing upon growth mindsets as a way to minimize backlash. 

This paper provides insight into the experiences of people with high status identities and how they navigate these identities in interpersonal relationships and in the workplace. Contrary to the assumption that high-status individuals freely share their prestigious identities, the research finds that people often hide these identities to in cross-status interactions. Through several studies, the authors identify that concerns about self-image, the feelings of others, and a desire to foster belonging drive this concealment. Although past research primarily focuses on the tendency for members of marginalized group to conceal their identities, this research expands the conversation by revealing when and why members of high status groups do the same.