Kimberly Rios

Rios focuses her work on better understanding how individuals respond to threats to social and personal identities, with a particular focus on majority versus minority identity. Her areas of research within this work include studying the factors that influence majority group members’ perceptions of threat from attitudes toward minority groups, and vice versa. Much of Rios’ work in this area examines reasons the majority group members may see multiculturalism – the recognition and celebration of diversity – as threatening, and ways to reduce these feelings of threat.

She also studies the causes and consequences of stereotyping/prejudice among religious majorities (e.g., negative stereotypes about Christians' scientific abilities) and minorities (e.g., negative stereotypes about atheists' morality and trustworthiness), both within the U.S. and cross-culturally.

Rios is interested in a wide variety of research topics related to intergroup relations, self and identity, and attitudes/social influence. She explains that identities can be derived from many sources, including membership in social categories (e.g., race/ethnicity, religion, gender) and personal characteristics (e.g., opinions, beliefs).

Expertise at a Glance

Rios is an expert in social psychology, stereotyping, prejudice and religion. Her work focuses on better understanding how individuals respond to threats to social and personal identities, with a particular focus on majority versus minority identity.

Areas of Expertise

• Social Psychology
• Stereotyping
• Prejudice
• Religion

Education

Ph.D., Organizational Behavior, Stanford University Graduate School of Business (2008)

B.A. in Psychology, Stanford University (2003)