Linda Tropp

Professor
Endowed University Chair in Peace Psychology
Director, Psychology of Peace and Violence Program

Faculty
Linda Tropp
Contact
Email
Email
Intergroup Relations and Social Justice Lab
Location
Tobin 637

Education

PhD, 2000, University of California Santa Cruz

Center and Institute Affilitation

Psychology of Peace and Violence Program

Research

In my research, I seek to understand how people’s experiences as group members color their interpretations of intergroup contexts and their expectations for and experiences in relations with members of other groups. I am especially interested in studying relations between members of groups that differ in status and power, to understand how legacies of inequality and conflict shape their perspectives, motivations, and orientations toward cross-group relations. I also seek to specify mechanisms and test strategies that can serve to ease group tensions and social divisions, build bridges and support more equal relations between groups, and foster prospects for peacebuilding and reconciliation in divided societies. 

Teaching

Psych 360: Social Psychology

This course provides students with an overview of central themes within the field of social psychology.  Through an exploration of both broad theories and specific research studies, we will examine how people are influenced by their social environments, how people interact with each other, and how they perceive and respond to their social worlds.  We will cover a wide range of topics in this course, including special emphasis on conformity and obedience, social cognition, attitudes and persuasion, self and identity, prejudice and intergroup relations, aggression and prosocial behavior, and liking and interpersonal relations.
 

Psych 391PS: Psychology and Public Policy

This course is an introduction to how research and theory in psychology can contribute to public policy. Students will learn how psychological concepts and processes can shape public views of policy initiatives, and many ways in which insights from psychological research can be used in the policy realm. Students will also learn about strategies for communicating psychology research findings effectively to policymakers and members of the broader public, to inform social policy and public debates on pressing social issues.
 

Psych 662: Improving Group Relations

This course is designed for graduate students to engage in discussion and analysis of social psychological theory and research, and to contribute to ongoing debates, regarding approaches for improving relations between groups. We will explore both the theoretical underpinnings and practical utility of strategies that have been proposed to improve group relations—from reducing prejudice to promoting inclusion and social integration—such as experiencing contact with other groups, shifting social norms, sharing perspectives, implementing institutional policies, and supporting efforts toward social change. Special attention will be paid to psychological motivations that underlie the effectiveness of these strategies, and to potential strengths and weaknesses of these approaches depending on the relative statuses and conflict histories of the groups involved. 
 

Psych 891AB: Self and Identity

 
This seminar is designed for graduate students to engage in discussion and analysis of social psychological theory and research concerning functions and motivations of the self, as well as aspects of identity that comprise the self. Students will explore how motivations of the self can influence and bias people’s perceptions and evaluations of themselves and others. Students will also consider how self-conceptions may vary in the contexts of social relationships, group memberships, and cultural backgrounds, and how personal and social aspects of identity contribute to the self-concept. Students are expected to be actively involved in class discussions, working to develop their own views and insights regarding the functions, motivations, and components of the self.

Biography

Linda R. Tropp, Ph.D. is Professor of Social Psychology, Endowed University Chair in Peace Psychology, and Faculty Associate in Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (USA). For nearly three decades she has studied how members of different groups experience contact with each other, and how group differences in status affect cross-group relations. Her work seeks to foster the dual goals of promoting positive relations between groups while achieving ever-greater levels of societal equality and justice. She has worked with U.S.-based organizations on initiatives to promote racial integration and equity, and with civil society organizations around the globe to bridge group differences and address social division. A Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Tropp has received distinguished research and teaching awards from the Society of Experimental Social Psychology, the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues and the International Society of Political Psychology. Tropp is coauthor of When Groups Meet: The Dynamics of Intergroup Contact (2011) and editor of several books, including Moving Beyond Prejudice Reduction: Pathways to Positive Intergroup Relations (2011), the Oxford Handbook of Intergroup Conflict (2012), and Making Research Matter: A Psychologist’s Guide to Public Engagement (2018).

Research Areas

Social Psychology