Social categorization is a ubiquitous cognitive process. One particularly pervasive categorization system is categorization based on sex and/or gender. Indeed, gender/sex categories exist in every culture that has been studied thus far. However, the structure and form of gender/sex-based categorization varies not only between cultures, but also between individuals, making gender/sex categorization particularly interesting to study. Indeed, gender/sex categorization has become an increasingly polarizing topic in the United States and elsewhere, with one side endorsing a binary, biologically-based categorization system and the other side endorsing a less binary categorization system based on a person’s internal feelings related to gender/sex (i.e., gender identity). Much of my recent work focuses on differences between these sides and seeks to identify the cognitions and beliefs that underlie each view.

Are there individual differences in the tendency to categorize stimuli into two (vs. more) groups? And what are the consequences of this tendency? In our work on the tendency for binary categorization, we I find that people differ in their tendency to spontaneously categorize stimuli (e.g., cats varying in fluffiness; gambles varying in riskiness) into two (vs. more) categories. We are interested in understanding this tendency and the consequences it has, with a particular focus on how it affects how people view different social groups.

An increasing number of people identify as feminists. Despite working towards the same broad goal – gender equality – feminism is not a cohesive movement. Feminists disagree on many issues, including the meaning of “gender equality,” how equality should be achieved, and what issues should be prioritized. In this line of work, we aim to understand how people understand the term "feminism" and the psychological constructs that are associated with different definitions of feminism.

Bodily self-determination is a human right, yet it is frequently restricted. In this line of work, we are investigating the moral arguments people make in the context of bodily self-determination and investigate the psychological mechanisms of why people support or oppose bodily self-determination for different groups.