Julie Garcia

Professor

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Contact Information

• Office: 47-21R
• Phone: (805) 756- 1603
• Email: jgarci31@calpoly.edu

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Stanford University
• Ph.D., M.A., Social Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• B.A., Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino

Courses Taught

• PSY 202 Introduction to Psychology
• PSY 252 Social Psychology                                                                                                             
• PSY/WGS 324 The Psychology of Gender   
• 475 The Social Psychology of Prejudice

Research Interests

Meanings tied to social identities—part of one’s self concept derived from group memberships—are contextually bound.  At any given moment a social identity may be valued, devalued, or carry little meaning, depending on information one imbues from one’s immediate social context.  My research focuses on the situational cues that inform social identity meanings, and how people cope when these cues suggest possible devaluation. Specifically, my research examines the following questions: 1) Can self-motivations affect if and when intergroup interactions will lead to positive or negative dynamics?   2) What contextual cues affect feelings of belonging and desire to stay in science, technology, engineering and math majors, particularly for underrepresented populations?, and 3) What are the antecedents and consequences of managing multiple social identities in ways that promote psychological well-being? As a whole, my research aims to improve the lives of others by finding solutions that could improve intergroup dynamics, enhance representation in STEM, and foster adaptive negotiation between one’s multiple social identities.

Selected Publications/Professional Activities

• Garcia, J.A. & Crocker, J. (2015). Upward and downward spirals in intergroup interactions: Compassionate goals and transcending the ego. In T. D. Nelson (Ed), Handbook of stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination (2nd Ed). (pp.65-86) Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
• Zirkel, S., Garcia, J.A., & Murphy, M.C. (2015). Experience-sampling research methods and their potential for educational research. Educational Researcher, 44 (1), 7-16. 
• Sanchez, D.T. & Garcia, J.A. (2009). When race matters: Racially stigmatized others and perceiving race as a biological construction affect biracial people's daily well-being. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35, 1154-1164.
• Brook, A.T., *Garcia, J.A., & Fleming, M.A. (2008). The effect of multiple social identities on psychological well-being.  Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34, 1588-1600.
• Garcia, J.A., Crocker, J. & Nuer, N. (2008). Reasons for disclosing depression matter: The consequences of having egosystem and ecosystem goals.  Social Science & Medicine, 67, 453-462.
• Garcia, J.A. & Crocker, J. (2007). Women of color in the college: Effects of identity and context on contingent self-worth.   In Fuligni, A. J. (Ed.) Contesting stereotypes and creating identities: Social categories, social identities, and educational participation. (pp. 160-179). New York: Russell Sage Publishers.    

 

* denotes shared first authorship