ABOUT

My PhD in Social Psychology from The Graduate Center, CUNY was conferred in February 2024. I'm interested in research positions that investigate issues related to the political divide in the United States, as well as racial issues, disability issues, and their intersection.

My research broadly explores inequality and intergroup relations. I am particularly interested in how potential safety cues might lead to improved intergroup and intraminority coalitions across political, racial, and disability divides that might challenge policies or institutional structures that uphold or exacerbate inequality and inequities. Examples of such safety cues include expressing interpersonal gratitude, intergroup friendship diversity, and expressing a desire to learn from partners in intergroup interactions. Although other safety cues can have similar effects, I am particularly interested in generalizing to how expressions of interpersonal gratitude might facilitate different types of positive intergroup reciprocity and lessen different types of negative intergroup reciprocity across intergroup divides. Conceptually, bridging such divides, by creating positive intergroup inertia over time, could be used to facilitate coalitions that challenge inequality and inequitable policies or institutional structures.

While in the preliminary stages, I am also working on developing an understanding of different conditions for intraminority solidarity and coalitions between low-status nondisabled marginalized groups and low-status disabled groups. As of now, I am primarily interested in understanding intraminority relations between different White disabled groups and nondisabled racial minority groups.

Research Interests

Intergroup/Intraminority Relations, Political Change, Interpersonal Gratitude, Race/Ethnicity, Disability/Disability Intersectionality

Contact

Kanderson1@gradcenter.cuny.edu; Kyle.anderson7962@gmail.com

Affiliations

I am affiliated with Disability Advocacy and Research Network (https://darndisability.org). I am helping develop this network for disabled social psychologists and allies to create a more inclusive environment for disabled individuals in academia.

I am also a co-social media manager of the DARN LinkedIn website.

To visit DARN on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/darndisability/about/

I am also a research consultant for Dr. Monica Schneider (a professor at Miami (OH)). I am helping facilitate her research through different steps in the research process.

Personal Interests

Outside of my research interests, I am an avid chess player, enjoy martial arts, and watching movies and sports.