Michelle Hebl, Franklin Visiting Scholar, will present a research colloquium entitled, “Reducing Interpersonal Discrimination” Oct. 2 at 3:30 p.m. in room 120 of the psychology building.
Open free to the public, the colloquium is co-sponsored by the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences’ department of psychology and its Office of Inclusion and Diversity Leadership.
An associate professor of psychology at Rice University, Hebl is a social psychologist whose research and teaching delve into issues of diversity and discrimination. Known as a contemporary expert on stigma, she has collaborated on numerous published studies focused on understanding “mixed” interactions; that is, interactions between stigmatized and non-stigmatized individuals.
Using laboratory experiments and field studies, Hebl documents how discrimination is manifested within social interactions and in organizations. Her studies examine such issues as discrimination against gay and lesbian job seekers or pregnant women applying for jobs, and problems for obese patients seeking medical care or customer service.