John Dovidio, professor of psychology and public health at Yale University, will present a lecture titled “Why Can't We Get Along? The Challenges of Race Relations in America” on Thursday, April 18, at 4:10 p.m. in the Chapel. The event is free and open to the public.
Dovidio studies issues of social power and social relations, including conscious and unconscious influences on how people think about, feel about, and behave toward others based on group membership.
His lecture will explore the psychology of contemporary prejudice, focusing on the relations between white and black Americans. Drawing on research evidence, Dovidio will discuss how even well-intentioned white Americans who consciously embrace egalitarian values may develop unconscious racial prejudice and engage in subtle forms of discrimination.
Dovidio received his B.A. in psychology from Dartmouth University and his M.A. and Ph. D., also in psychology, from the University of Delaware. He has received numerous teaching and research awards including the 2014 Award for Distinguished Service and 2011 Donald T. Campbell Award in Social Psychology from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology and the 2008 American Psychological Association Presidential Citation “in recognition of 30 years of stellar research.”
Prior to becoming a member of Yale’s faculty in 2007, Dovidio spent more than 10 years in positions at Colgate University, including as the Charles A. Dana Professor and as the provost and dean of faculty.
