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My Research
How can contexts and people’s beliefs be adapted to promote equity and inclusion in science? I address this important real-world question using a social psychological lens. Rooted in social structural psychological theories (e.g., Goal Congruity Theory; Diekman, Joshi, Benson-Greenwald, 2020), I investigate how the self, a person’s understanding of who they are and what they value, cyclically shapes (and is shaped by) the social structure, the system which organizes people’s constellation of social relationships and group membership, affecting psychological experiences. Building on this framework, I draw insights from decolonizing/feminist theories of science and philosophy of science to investigate why otherwise talented students opt out of or leave science career pathways.
How can students adaptively appraise their roles and situations?
The goal congruity perspective argues that people choose roles (e.g., majors or careers) that allow them to fulfill valued goals (e.g., Diekman, Joshi, & Benson-Greenwald, 2020). I build on this logic and examine how beliefs about the goal opportunities in a particular role vary with proactivity, or belief that one can change their environment despite barriers (Benson-Greenwald & Diekman, 2021). In this line, I also explore whether mindfulness training can foster more adaptive appraisals of learning-related stressors (Benson-Greenwald et al., in prep) and promote engagement (Benson-Greenwald et al., in prep) among college students in introductory physics.
What is the dominant culture of science and where does it come from?
A social psychological perspective defines culture as a pattern of ideas, practices, institutions, and psychological processes shaped by the contexts and systems people inhabit. In the US, STEM careers are commonly perceived as highly agentic and lacking in communality (Diekman, Joshi, Benson-Greenwald, 2020). Moreover, these contexts are often male-dominated – creating an association between masculinity and science. This line of work sheds some light on where these beliefs come from by exploring how media portrayals (Benson-Greenwald et al., 2022), departmental bulletin boards (Joshi, Benson-Greenwald, & Diekman, 2022), and gender representation (Light, Benson-Greenwald, & Diekman, 2021) affect beliefs about STEM culture.
How can STEM Cultures be Restructed to Improve Psychological Experiences?
Beyond understanding what the dominant STEM culture is and where it comes from, it is also important to identify the ways to change these patterns of ideas, practices, and processes to improve psychological experiences, particularly among people of color and women. Here, I identify the ways in which this culture affects decisions to enter STEM vs. STEM education careers, (Diekman & Benson-Greenwald, 2018), public trust in science (Benson-Greenwald et al., 2021), and authenticity and belonging (Benson-Greenwald & Diekman, in prep).
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