Social Psychology Network

Maintained by Scott Plous, Wesleyan University

Denise Sekaquaptewa

Denise Sekaquaptewa

Denise Sekaquaptewa is an Associate Professor of Psychology, and a Faculty Associate at the Research Center for Group Dynamics in the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Professor Sekaquaptewa's current research is focused on stereotyping, prejudice, stereotype threat, and the effects of category salience on test performance. One line of research concerns the test performance of solo vs. nonsolo group members. When one's social category is made salient via solo status (being the only member of one's social category in a group), academic performance is diminished, especially when the situation is one where the solo is stereotyped as a poor performer (e.g., females answering questions about science). Performance is less affected when the solo is not negatively stereotyped. A second line of research addresses the relationship between stereotype use and discrimination. Professor Sekaquaptewa's research shows that people who rely on stereotypes in processing have more negative social interactions with members of stereotyped groups, independent of how they feel about the stereotyped group. A third line of research bridges the first two by examining the interaction of implicit stereotyping and susceptibility to the negative influence of stereotype threat.

Primary Interests:

  • Attitudes and Beliefs
  • Culture and Ethnicity
  • Gender Psychology
  • Intergroup Relations
  • Interpersonal Processes
  • Prejudice and Stereotyping
  • Social Cognition

Journal Articles:

  • Sekaquaptewa, D., & Espinoza, P. (2004). Biased processing of stereotype-incongruency is greater for low than high status groups. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 40, 128-135.
  • Sekaquaptewa, D., Espinoza, P., Thompson, M., Vargas, P., & von Hippel, W. (2003). Stereotypic explanatory bias: Implicit stereotyping as a predictor of discrimination. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 39, 75-82.
  • Sekaquaptewa, D., & Thompson, M. (2003). Solo status, stereotypes, and performance expectancies: Their effects on women’s public performance. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 39, 68-74.
  • Sekaquaptewa, D., & Thompson, M. (2002). The differential effects of solo status on members of high and low status groups. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 694-707.
  • Thompson, M., & Sekaquaptewa, D. (2002). When being different is detrimental: The influence of solo status on the performance of women and racial minorities. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 2, 183-203.
  • von Hippel, W., Sekaquaptewa, D., & Vargas, P. (1997). The Linguistic Intergroup Bias as an implicit indicator of prejudice. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 33, 490-509.
  • von Hippel, W., Sekaquaptewa, D., & Vargas, P. (1995). On the role of encoding processes in stereotype maintenance. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 27, 177-254.

Courses Taught:

Denise Sekaquaptewa
Department of Psychology
University of Michigan
530 Church Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
United States of America

  • Phone: (734) 647-9685
  • Fax: (734) 647-9440

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