Russell J. Webster
Advisor: Dr. Donald Saucier
Description of Research
Why can’t human beings get along? I try to answer this question by examining the total evolution of prejudicial attitudes: from its roots and its expression (and, equally, its regulation), to its unending. Specifically, I study why people are predisposed to be prejudiced from a terror management theory (TMT) perspective, how people differentially justify the expression of their prejudices by examining sociopolitical ideologies, how people differentially regulate the expression of attitudes and prejudice by studying individual difference variables (e.g., social vigilantism) and by using implicit goal priming, and developing strategies to reduce prejudice based upon this compilation of research.
Representative Publications
Saucier, D. A., & Webster, R. J. (in press). Social vigilantism: Measuring individual differences in belief superiority and resistance to persuasion. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Manuscripts Submitted for Publication
Saucier, D. A., Webster, R. J., & Hoffman, B. H. (2009). The effects of social vigilantism on the use of strategies to resist persuasion when attitudes are challenged. Manuscript submitted for publication, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Webster, R. J., Saucier, D. A., & Harris, R. J. (2009). The pre-empirical study of prejudice. Manuscript submitted for publication, Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences.
Webster, R. J., & Saucier, D. A. (2009). Social vigilantism as a predictor of political persuasion and affiliation. Manuscript submitted for publication, Personality and Individual Differences.
Webster, R. J., & Saucier, D. A. (2009). Terror management theory and sexual prejudice: Mortality salience effects on sex differences in prejudice toward gay men and lesbians. Manuscript submitted for publication, Journal of Homosexuality.
Technical/Research Reports
Benton, S. L., & Webster, R. J. (2009). Report on analysis of IDEA feedback for Administrators’ data. Manhattan, KS: The IDEA Center.
Benton, S. L., & Webster, R. J. (2009). Report on analysis of IDEA feedback for Deans’ data. Manhattan, KS: The IDEA Center.
Benton, S. L., Middendorf, J., & Webster, R. J. (2008). Data analysis of The IDEA Center faculty perceptions of Department Head/Chair Survey. Manhattan, KS: The IDEA Center.
Benton, S. L., Pallett, B., Gross, A., & Webster, R. J. (2008). Revision of the IDEA Center feedback for department chair system. Manhattan, KS: The IDEA Center.
Representative Presentations (2008 to present)
Benton, S. L., Webster, R. J., Pallett, B., & Gross, A. (submitted). Dean behaviors and personal characteristics related to performance of essential responsibilities. Poster submitted to the Association for Academic Deans and the Phi Beta Kappa Society Biennial Conference, Alexandria, VA.
Webster, R. J., *Burns, M., *Pickering, M., & Saucier, D. A. (2009, May). Justification and suppression factors mediate the relationship between political orientation and prejudice. Poster presented at the annual conference for the Association for Psychological Science, San Francisco, CA.
Middendorf, J., Benton, S. L., Webster, R. J., & Gross, A. (2009, March). Faculty perceptions of their department chairperson's effectiveness. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.
Benton, S. L., Middendorf, J., & Webster, R. J. (2009, Feb.). Using faculty ratings to provide formative feedback about the chair’s effectiveness. Paper presented at the annual Academic Chairperson’s Conference, Orlando, FL.
*McElhaney, L., Webster, R. J., *Pickering, M., *Burns, M., Daugherty, J. R., & Saucier, D. A. (2009, Feb.). Near and far: How does thinking about ingroup and outgroup members’ deaths at home and afar affect terror management responses? Poster presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Tampa, FL.
*Pickering, M., *Burns, M., Webster, R. J., *McElhaney, L., & Saucier, D. A. (2009, Feb.). Red and Blue: Does motivation to control prejudice mediate the relationship between political orientation and prejudice? Poster presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Tampa, FL.
Webster, R. J., & Saucier, D. A. (2009, Feb.). Gender role beliefs mediate increased sex differences in sexual prejudice following mortality salience. Poster presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Tampa, FL.
Whitley, B. E., Jr., Webster, R. J., & Deviyanti. (2009, Feb.). The relationship between fundamentalism and quest as religious orientations. Poster to be presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Tampa, FL.
Webster, R. J., & Saucier, D. A. (2008, May). Revisiting the effects of social dominance orientation and right-wing authoritarianism on prejudice. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, IL.
Webster, R. J., & Saucier, D. A. (2008, accepted). The additive and interactive effects of social dominance orientation and right-wing authoritarianism on prejudice. Poster to be presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science.
Webster, R. J., & Saucier, D. A. (2008, accepted). Testing the dimensionality of social dominance orientation and right-wing authoritarianism. Poster to be presented at the annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL.
Webster, R. J., & Saucier, D. A. (2008, January). Terror management theory and sexual prejudice: The effects of mortality salience on heterosexuals’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Albuquerque, NM.
*Indicates undergraduate author.
Teaching Experience
Guest lecturer, Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination (Dr. Bernard Whitley), October 2005
Guest lecturer, Theories of Personality (Dr. Tom Holtgraves), September 2005
Guest lecturer, Advanced Social Psychology (Ms. Natalie Brown), May 2008
Education
Doctoral student, Social/Personality Psychology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
M.A., Cognitive and Social Processes, Ball State University, Muncie, IN; July 2006
Master’s Thesis: Finding Security in the Face of Death: Does Implicit Activation of Attachment Schemas Moderate Mortality Salience Effects?
Chair: Dr. Tom Holtgraves, Department of Psychological Science
B.A., Psychology & French, North Central College, Naperville, IL; March 2003
Independent Research Project: Social Dominance Orientation, Right-wing Authoritarianism, and Gender as Predictors of Heterosexuals’ Attitudes toward Homosexuality, Blacks, and Arabs
Advisor: Dr. Heather Coon, Department of Psychology
Attachment of CV in pdf format
Personal Information:
- Born in San Dimas, CA
- Current hometown: Shorewood, IL (Chicago suburbs)
- Sports: Include tennis and disc golf
Interests: Pay attention to current events and politics, have an eclectic taste in movies and music, appreciate wine, and revere “Family Guy”
