Shree Vallabha
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Research Interests
I am interested in investigating the social psychological processes undergirding both historical and contemporary political and intergroup conflicts using lenses provided by moral and political psychology, and intergroup relations.
One line of my research seeks to understand the psychological legacies of historical atrocities. In my recent work, I have investigated the psychological conditions in which people blame current groups for the wrongdoings of that group’s past. My work on historical blame so far can be found here.
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In another line of work, I am interested in understanding the psychological contributors to intergroup divisions such as political and religious divisions. In one of the projects in this area, I am developing a new construct moral humility. One of my papers on moral humility can be found here. In other papers, i) I build a psychometrically validated measure a moral humility and test its construct validity, ii) develop interventions to change moral humility and test its impact on important outcomes, iii) explore the importance of moral humility.
Relatedly, I am also working on understanding the psychological predictors of political polarization and democratic backsliding. In one of the projects, I test whether affective polarization can predict democratic decline at an institutional level in the US.
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Finally, I’m also interested in and work on belief systems. This involves understanding the causes and consequences of the way people’s beliefs systems are structured and undergo change. I am studying this in the context of political and religious beliefs.
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Key Interests: moral psychology; political psychology; group processes and intergroup relations; positive psychology
Other Interests: methods; open science; experimental philosophy; cultural psychology; health/well-being psychology
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Publications
Vallabha, S., Doriscar, J & Brandt, M.J. (in press) When the specter of the past haunts current groups: Psychological antecedents of historical blame. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. https://osf.io/j3vp9
Brandt, M. J. & Vallabha, S. (2023). Inter-attitude centrality does not appear to reduce
persuasion for political attitudes. European Journal of Social Psychology, 53, 1342-1358. https://osf.io/cqkvt
Brandt, M.J & Vallabha, S. (in press) Intraindividual changes in political identity strength (but not direction) are associated with political animosity in the United States and the Netherlands. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. https://psyarxiv.com/cbydg/
Brandt, M.J., Vallabha, S., & Turner-Zwinkels, F. (in press) The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic made people feel threatened, but had a limited impact on political attitudes in the United States. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. https://psyarxiv.com/8n52q/
Brandt, M. J., Vallabha, S., & Cassario, A. L. (in press). Is political identification a key for political animosity? In J. Forgas (Ed.), The Tribal Mind. Routledge.
Accepted Stage 1 Registered Reports
Cassario, A. L., Vallabha, S., Thompson, J. L., Carrillo, A., Solanki, P., Gnall, S. A., Rice, S., Wetherell, G. A., & Brandt, M. J. (accepted Stage 1 Registered Report). Cognitive ability, cognitive reflection, and attitudes towards ideological groups. British Journal of Social Psychology.
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Wetherell, G. A., Brandt, M. J., Thompson, J. L., Vallabha, S., Cassario, A. L., Solanki, P., Rice, S., & Carrillo, A. (accepted Stage 1 Registered Report). Do mismatches between individual and target group personality predict prejudice? Collabra Psychology
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Works in R&R/Review
Vallabha, S., Wolak, J., Brandt, M. J. (under review). Moral humility reduces political divisions.
Thompson, J. L., Cassario, A., Vallabha, S., Rice, S., Gnall, S., Carrillo, A., Solanki, P., Brandt, M. J & Wetherell, G. A. (Revise and Resubmit) Stress testing predictive models of ideological prejudice. PLoS one
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Rice, S., Cassario, A. L., Solanki, P., Gnall, S. A., Thompson, J. L., Carrillo, A., Vallabha, S., Brandt, M. J., &
Wetherell, G. A. (Revise and Resubmit). (National) pride predicts prejudice: An examination of nationalism, patriotism, and prejudice towards a variety of social groups. Basic and Applied Social Psychology
Works in Progress
Vallabha, S., & Brandt, M. J. (under preparation). Affective polarization: A threat to democracy?
Vallabha, S., & Brandt, M. J. (under preparation). Moral humility: Establishing construct validity.
Vallabha, S. & Brandt, M. J (under preparation). Belief system change over time.
Vallabha, S., Yang, H., Lucas, R. E. (under preparation). Bi-directional associations between religion and politics.
Yang, H., Weidmann, R., Brandt, M. J., Vallabha, S., Cassario, A., & Chopik, W. J. (under preparation). A House Divided: Interpolitical Romantic Relationship and Their Co-Change.
Vallabha, S., Cassario, A., Yang, H., Weidmann, R., Chopik, W. J., & Brandt, M. J. (under preparation). Happiness in Interpolitical Couples.
Vallabha, S., & Brandt, M. J. (under progress). Cross-national historical blame.
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