Sara Smith

Advisor: Dr. Donald Saucier

Description of Research

My program of study focuses on heterosexuals’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. More specifically I am looking at heterosexuals’ beliefs about the etiology of homosexuality and how this affects their acceptance of legislation on homosexual issues . I am also currently working on a meta-analysis looking at heterosexual contact with lesbians and gay men and how this affects sexual prejudice. In the future I would like to focus on the expression of prejudice towards different groups (including bisexuals, transgenders, transsexuals and different races) within the lesbian and gay community.

Representative Publications

Barlett, C., Harris, R., Smith, S., & Bonds-Raacke, J. (2005). Action figures and males. Sex Roles, 53, 877-885.

Barlett, C. P., Smith, S. J., & Harris, R. J. (2006). The interference
effect of male’s handling of muscular action figures on a lexical
decision task: A brief report. Manuscript Under Review, Body image.

Representative Presentations

Hoffman, B. H., Smith, S. J., Craig, A. W., & Saucier, D. A. (2005).
Oppression through acceptance?  Predicting rape myth acceptance and attitudes toward rape victims.

  • Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association.

Barlett, C., Harris, R., & Smith, S. (2005). Action figures and males: The causes of negative-self images.

  • Poster presented at the annual meeting of The Midwestern Psychological Association.

Devore, C. L., Slaven, P., Smith, S. J., & Saucier, D. A. (2005).
Individual differences in voting decisions.

  • Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Great Plains Students’ Psychology Convention.

Chu, P. S., Hemenover, S. H. , Smith, S. J., Denton, T., & Saucier, D.
A. (submitted). The effects of perceived social support on cultural
adjustment.

  • Poster presented at the annual meeting of The Midwestern Psychological Association.

Smith, S. J., Devore, C. D., Slaven, P., & Saucier, D. A. The effects of social vigilantism on making and defending voting decisions.

  • Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

Smith, S. J., Axelton, A., & Saucier, D. A. (accepted, 2007). Beliefs
about the etiology of homosexuality and sexual prejudice.

  • Poster to be presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

Saucier, D. A., Veenendaal, A. L., & Smith, S. J. (accepted, 2007). The
effects of ethnic humor on stereotype knowledge and belief, prejudice, and attitudes toward ethnic humor.

  • Poster to be presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

Teaching Experience

Teaching Assistant

Spring 2006

Kansas State University

  • Experimental Methods in Psychology
  • General Psychology

Education

B.S., Psychology, Kansas State University, May 2005

View Curriculum Vitae

E-mail me : sjs6655@ksu.edu