Intergroup Cognition Lab
In the Intergroup Cognition Lab, we are interested in learning about children’s beliefs about other people. We want to understand why people sometimes make judgments about individuals based on social groups (e.g. race, gender, socioeconomic status) rather than who they are as individuals. We are also investigating ways to prevent children from using group stereotypes or attitudes to guide their behavior.
Research Projects
Children’s Reasoning about Inheritance
In this study, we are trying to understand children’s perceptions of inheritance and understanding of generational wealth. We want to see whether children perceive inherited wealth as a product of luck or hard work and if this perception influences their giving decisions. In this study, children will listen to 4 short stories about hypothetical children who have received money from their parents and then will be asked who they want to give more money to and why they chose the child that they did. This study is completely virtual and takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. If you are interested in participating, please email wwu.intergrouplab@gmail.com.
People
Dr. Antonya Gonzalez
Director of the Intergroup Cognition Lab
Dr. Gonzalez joined the psychology faculty at Western in 2018. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the University of British Columbia, and prior to that, received her B.A. in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis. Outside of the office, Dr. Gonzalez enjoys hiking, travelling, yoga, and running.
Myranda Gardner
Lab Manager
Myranda is a senior at Western majoring in Psychology and minoring in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. After graduating, Myranda plans to continue her education with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Child Development, in the hopes of becoming a child therapist.
Minh Tran
Research Assistant
Minh is a Senior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Political Science and Chemistry. Her psychology interests are in child development and mental health. Outside of school, she enjoys playing tennis, paddleboarding, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. After graduation, she hopes to attend a Psy.D. graduate program and pursue a career as a clinical psychologist.
Cait Steiner
Research Assistant
Cait Steiner is a Senior at Western majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience with minors in Biology and Psychology. She is completing an Honors Thesis with the Intergroup Cognition Lab. After graduating she plans to continue her education and earn a Masters in Behavioral Neuroscience. In her free time she is an avid outdoors fan who enjoys hiking, backpacking, and skiing.
Audrey Stewart
Research Assistant
Audrey is a Junior at Western, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Philosophy. Her favorite psychology classes so far have been developmental psychology, social psychology, and cognition. In her free time, Audrey enjoys adventuring in nature, cooking, painting, spending time with her friends, and playing intramural sports. After graduation, Audrey hopes to be able to integrate psychology into whatever she does!
Recent Publications
Gonzalez, A.M., Koepf, I., & McLean, K.C. (2023). ‘The system is unfair’: Uncontrollable attributions for inequality predict more equitable giving in adolescents. Infant and Child Development.
Block, K., Gonzalez, A.M., Choi, C., Wong, Z., Schmader, T., & Baron, A.S. (2022). Exposure to stereotype-relevant stories shapes children’s implicit gender stereotypes. PLOS One.
Gonzalez, A.M., Macchia, L., & Whillans, A.V. (2022). The developmental origins and behavioral consequences of attributions for inequality. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
Gonzalez, A.M., Block, K., Oh, H.J.J., Bizzotto, R. & Baron, A.S. (2022). Measuring implicit gender stereotypes in early childhood using the Preschool Auditory Stroop. Journal of Cognition and Development.
Gonzalez, A.M., Odic, D., Schmader, T., Block, K. & Baron, A.S. (2021). The effect of gender stereotypes on young girls’ intuitive number sense. PLOS One.
Gonzalez, A.M. (2021). Positive exemplar exposure: A method for early implicit racial bias change. In K.C. McLean (Ed.), Cultural Methods in Psychology: Describing and Transforming Cultures.
Gonzalez, A.M., Steele, J.R., Chan, E.F., Lim, S.A. , & Baron, A.S. (2021). Developmental differences in the malleability of implicit racial bias following exposure to counterstereotypical exemplars. Developmental Psychology.