Research

Navigating Social Identities

Employees of all backgrounds face an ongoing challenge at work: determining whether and how to bring attention to social-identity differences. Past work has traditionally focused on the potential stigma that can emerge from highlighting marginalized identities at work. Rachel's research in this domain seeks to challenge and expand upon this prior work in key ways.

Challenging the common notion that differences are a source of division or stigmatization, Rachel provides evidence that employees can bring attention to their marginalized identities in ways that are professionally beneficial rather than harmful (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 complex identity management strategies and highlights the importance of shifting the responsibility to organizations for creating environments where employees can be included regardless of how they navigate their identities in the workplace (Arnett, Lee, Hewlin, Provisionally accepted, ASQ). 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). ​

Speaking Up & Difficult Conversations

Rachel's second stream of research focuses on the dynamics of navigating challenge conversations, such as speaking up in support of inclusion. Her research reveals that individuals who seek to have difficult conversations in the workplace often face significant deterrents due to perceived risks. Her studies highlight strategies that employees can adopt to navigate these risks both psychologically (to enhance their willingness to speak up) and interpersonally (to mitigate potential negative consequences). In one line of work, she examines how employees' fears of making errors or missteps influence their willingness to support inclusion (Arnett, Scruggs, & Chen, in prep), identifying conditions that enable them to speak up despite these apprehensions. In another line of work, she explores 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). 

Achieving Career Success

Rachel’s third research stream focuses on understanding and addressing the challenges women and employees of color face in attaining leadership roles. Her work examines the role of intersectionality in leadership inspiration, exploring how figures like Michelle Obama and Ketanji Brown Jackson impact leadership aspirations across different groups. ​Additionally, Rachel investigates how successful women leaders navigate career barriers by relying on parental role models as well as narratives that stem from their social class backgrounds. This research provides a nuanced view of the broader influence of intersectionality, role models and family origins in shaping women's leadership journeys and success. ​​