<< Back to Faculty Sophie Trawalter Associate Professor of Public Policy and Psychology Education & Training Ph.D. in Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College M.A. in Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College B.A. in Psychology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington B.S. in Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Wilmington 434-243-3726 strawalter@virginia.edu Garrett Hall L004B Curriculum Vitae Courses taught PSYC 2600 “Social Psychology” PPOL 5025/PSYC 5559 “Wise Interventions: Social Psychology for Public Policy” PPOL/PSYC 5035 “Leadership and Managing Diverse Groups” PPOL 6745/PSYC 4750 “Stigma and Social Disparities” Research interests Social Psychology Areas of focus Leadership Racial Justice and Equity Social Equity Social Psychology I’m an Associate Professor of Public Policy and Psychology. I study phenomena related to social diversity. Specifically, I examine how people navigate intergroup contact and intergroup contexts. I am especially interested in how people develop competencies and learn to thrive in diverse spaces. In one line of research, I investigate stress and coping responses to interracial contact. Within this line of research, I examine people’s short-term behavioral and physiological responses to interracial contact as well as longer-term, health-relevant physiological changes in response to diversity experiences. Other lines of research explore people’s ability to detect discrimination accurately and the social ecology of privilege. Ultimately, the aim of this work is to develop constructive strategies to cope with the challenges of diversity in organizations, public arenas, and private spaces. In time, such strategies may reduce intergroup tensions and improve outcomes for both traditionally stigmatized and non-stigmatized group members. Related Content Black People’s Pain Has Long Been Underestimated. It’s Time For That To Change. News Compelling evidence from multiple studies points to racial disparities in healthcare—both in access to care and quality of care. In an article for Women's Health, Batten's Sophie Trawalter discusses her research exploring racial bias in healthcare. Black Americans are Systematically Under-Treated for Pain. Why? News When it comes to the healthcare you receive, the color of your skin can make a significant difference, social psychologist Sophie Trawalter told an online audience last week. Expert Chat: “Racial Bias and Healthcare” with Sophie Trawalter Event Black Americans are systematically under-treated for pain relative to White Americans. For the next edition of Batten’s Expert Chats Series, Batten professor Sophie Trawalter will discuss research indicating that people--including individuals with medical training--believe that Blacks (vs. Whites) feel less pain. Join the conversation on Zoom. Alum in Action: Kathryn Babineau News Batten alum Kathryn Babineau (MPP ’13) is a Ph.D. student in the University of Virginia's sociology department, where she studies globalization, labor rights, and public and private regulation. Previously, she worked as a human rights investigator for the Fair Food Standards Council and as a research coordinator at National Defense University. False beliefs are associated with racial bias in pain assessment and treatment recommendations only among White (not among non-White) medical students and residents Research First Batten Hour of the Year Kicks Off with Roundtable Discussion with Dean Solomon News This week, Batten hosted the first Batten Hour of the year featuring brief remarks from Dean Ian H. Solomon followed by a roundtable conversation with the dean, students, and faculty, providing an opportunity for the Batten community to get to learn more about the new dean, both professionally and personally. What Lies Beneath? Minority Group Members’ Suspicion of Whites’ Egalitarian Motivation Predicts Responses to Whites’ Smiles Research Antiprejudice norms and attempts to conceal racial bias have made Whites’ positive treatment of racial minorities attributionally ambiguous. Although some minorities believe Whites’ positivity is genuine, others are suspicious of Whites’ motives and believe their kindness is primarily motivated by desires to avoid appearing prejudiced. Racial bias in pain assessment and treatment recommendations, and false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites Research Black Americans are systematically undertreated for pain relative to white Americans. We examine whether this racial bias is related to false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites (e.g., “black people’s skin is thicker than white people’s skin”). What Is Good Isn't Always Fair: On the Unintended Effects of Framing Diversity as Good Research Many proponents of diversity stress that diversity is good—good for universities to further their educational missions and good for businesses, for hiring talent and generating financial returns to shareholders. In this work, we examined costs of framing diversity as good for organizations vs. fair; specifically, we examined whether framing diversity as good for organizations broadens people’s definitions of diversity and increases racial bias. View All
Black People’s Pain Has Long Been Underestimated. It’s Time For That To Change. News Compelling evidence from multiple studies points to racial disparities in healthcare—both in access to care and quality of care. In an article for Women's Health, Batten's Sophie Trawalter discusses her research exploring racial bias in healthcare.
Black Americans are Systematically Under-Treated for Pain. Why? News When it comes to the healthcare you receive, the color of your skin can make a significant difference, social psychologist Sophie Trawalter told an online audience last week.
Expert Chat: “Racial Bias and Healthcare” with Sophie Trawalter Event Black Americans are systematically under-treated for pain relative to White Americans. For the next edition of Batten’s Expert Chats Series, Batten professor Sophie Trawalter will discuss research indicating that people--including individuals with medical training--believe that Blacks (vs. Whites) feel less pain. Join the conversation on Zoom.
Alum in Action: Kathryn Babineau News Batten alum Kathryn Babineau (MPP ’13) is a Ph.D. student in the University of Virginia's sociology department, where she studies globalization, labor rights, and public and private regulation. Previously, she worked as a human rights investigator for the Fair Food Standards Council and as a research coordinator at National Defense University.
False beliefs are associated with racial bias in pain assessment and treatment recommendations only among White (not among non-White) medical students and residents Research
First Batten Hour of the Year Kicks Off with Roundtable Discussion with Dean Solomon News This week, Batten hosted the first Batten Hour of the year featuring brief remarks from Dean Ian H. Solomon followed by a roundtable conversation with the dean, students, and faculty, providing an opportunity for the Batten community to get to learn more about the new dean, both professionally and personally.
What Lies Beneath? Minority Group Members’ Suspicion of Whites’ Egalitarian Motivation Predicts Responses to Whites’ Smiles Research Antiprejudice norms and attempts to conceal racial bias have made Whites’ positive treatment of racial minorities attributionally ambiguous. Although some minorities believe Whites’ positivity is genuine, others are suspicious of Whites’ motives and believe their kindness is primarily motivated by desires to avoid appearing prejudiced.
Racial bias in pain assessment and treatment recommendations, and false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites Research Black Americans are systematically undertreated for pain relative to white Americans. We examine whether this racial bias is related to false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites (e.g., “black people’s skin is thicker than white people’s skin”).
What Is Good Isn't Always Fair: On the Unintended Effects of Framing Diversity as Good Research Many proponents of diversity stress that diversity is good—good for universities to further their educational missions and good for businesses, for hiring talent and generating financial returns to shareholders. In this work, we examined costs of framing diversity as good for organizations vs. fair; specifically, we examined whether framing diversity as good for organizations broadens people’s definitions of diversity and increases racial bias.