Calvin Lai

Lai is interested in the disconnect between what people value (e.g., racial equality) and what people do (e.g., racial discrimination). His research focused on how hidden or implicit prejudices and stereotypes produce these gaps between values and action. Lai’s research program has studied the causes of prejudice and discrimination, developed psychological interventions to reduce prejudice and discrimination, and evaluated policies or reforms that could prevent discrimination. 

Selected Publications

• Lai. C. K., & Lisnek, J. A. (2023). The impact of implicit bias-oriented diversity training on police officers’ beliefs, motivations, and actions. Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976221150617
• Ekstrom, P. D., Le Forestier, J. M., & Lai, C. K. (2022). Racial demographics explain the link between racial disparities in traffic stops and county-level racial attitudes. Psychological Science, 33, 497-509. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976211053573
• Forscher, P. S.*, Lai, C. K.*, Axt, J. R., Ebersole, C. R., Herman, M., Devine, P. G., & Nosek, B. A. (2019). A meta-analysis of procedures to change implicit measures. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 117, 522-559. * Co-lead-authors. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000160
• Axt, J. R., & Lai, C. K. (2019). Reducing discrimination: A bias versus noise perspective. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 117, 26-49. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspa0000153
• Lai, C. K., Skinner, A. L., Cooley, E., Murrar, S., Brauer, M., Devos, T., Calanchini, J., Xiao, Y. J., Pedram, C., Marshburn, C. K., Simon, S., Blanchar, J. C., Joy-Gaba, J. A., Conway, J., Redford, L., Klein, R. A., Roussos, G., Schellhaas, F. M. H., Burns, M., Hu, X., McLean, M. C., Axt, J. R., Asgari, S., Schmidt, K., Rubinstein, R., Marini, M., Rubichi, S., Shin, J. L., & Nosek, B. A. (2016). Reducing implicit racial preferences: II. Intervention effectiveness across time.  Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 145, 1001-1016. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000179
• Lai, C. K., Marini, M., Lehr, S. A., Cerruti, C., Shin, J. L., Joy-Gaba, J. A., Ho, A. K., Teachman, B. A., Wojcik, S. P., Koleva, S. P., Frazier, R. S., Heiphetz, L., Chen, E., Turner, R. N., Haidt, J., Kesebir, S., Hawkins, C. B., Schaefer, H. S., Rubichi, S., Sartori, G., Dial, C. M., Sriram, N., Banaji, M. R., & Nosek, B. A. (2014). Reducing implicit racial preferences: I. A comparative investigation of 17 interventions. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143, 1765-1785. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036260