BIAS Lab
Bailey Identity And Social Cognition Lab
Led by Dr. April H. Bailey at the University of Edinburgh, the BIAS lab investigates questions about gender and other social groups. We use approaches from social psychology, cognitive psychology, experimental philosophy, and computational linguistics.
For example in one line of research, we investigate how people represent foundational human concepts, such as the idea of a PERSON. This concept shapes decision-making across domains. In the consumer domain, product designers make potentially costly decisions about what a typical “person” needs and wants. In the legal domain, jurors make decisions based on what a "reasonable person" might do.
In theory, the concept of a person applies to all people. In practice, we find the concept prioritizes men over women and White people over people of other race/ethnicities.
Through our research, the BIAS Lab seeks to understand how underlying psychological processes contribute to social inequities. Ultimately, we hope to help create a more equitable society for all. Our research has been featured in popular outlets including Scientific American and Psychology Today.
BIAS Lab Team
Lab Director
Bio: I am a Lecturer of Psychology (Assistant Professor equivalent) at the University of Edinburgh. Outside the lab, I enjoy cycling and reading fantasy, sci-fi, and philosophy.
Curriculum Vitae
Postdoctoral training, NYU
Ph.D., Yale University
B.A., Colgate University
2024 APS Rising Star ⭐ recognizes outstanding early-career researchers
Trish Burkins
Ph.D. Student
Bio: I'm a Ph.D. Student in social psychology at the University of New Hampshire, working with Dr. Bailey in the BIAS Lab. Originally from Middlebury VT, I graduated from Ithaca College in 2021. I love painting, games, and meeting new people!
Research Interests: My current work in the BIAS lab is investigating the interaction between gender, androcentrism, and personhood, with further research into the mechanisms behind this interaction currently on the horizon.
Sofía Briones
Research Coordinator
Haverford College
Nich DiMaggio
PhD Student in Behavioral Science
UChicago Booth
Shan Gao
PhD Student in Psychology
University of Hawaii
Dr. Andrei Cimpian
Professor of Psychology
NYU
Dr. Jack Dovidio
Professor of Psychology
Yale
Dr. Adriana L. Germano
Assistant Professor of OB
Yale SOM
Dr. Joanna Demaree-Cotton
Research Fellow at the Ueirho Center
Oxford
Ingrid Friedman
PhD Student in Psychology
Drexel
Dr. Jonas Kunst
Professor of Psychology
University of Oslo
Em Bolton
PhD Student
(Secondary Advisor)
University of Edinburgh
Darren Ewy
Wenrui Wu
Maya Sellier
MSc Thesis Students
University of Edinburgh
Sara Austad
Imogen Leather
Lola Beck
Ellie Freel
Willow Soning
Xintong Luo
Rosie Eastwood
Year 4 Dissertation Students
University of Edinburgh
Maya Kreitman
PhD student in Psychology
UChicago
Dr. Benedek Kurdi
Assistant Professor of Psychology
UIUC
Dr. Rachel Leshin
Postdoctoral Fellow
Princeton
BIAS Lab Research and Media Highlights
2024: New paper in press! Bailey, A. H., Ikizer, E., Dembroff, R., Wodak, D., & Cimpian, A. (in press). People's beliefs about pronouns reflect both the language they speak and their ideologies. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
2024: New paper in press! Bailey, A. H., Williams, A., Poddar, A., Cimpian, A. (in press). Intersectional male-centric and White-centric biases in collective concepts. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
2023: Bailey, A. H., & Knobe, J. (2023). Biological essentialism correlates with (but doesn’t cause?) intergroup bias. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
2023: Dr. Bailey spoke about our research on the Opinion Science podcast
2022: Bailey, A. H., Williams, A., & Cimpian, A. (2022). Based on billions of words on the internet, PEOPLE = MEN. Science Advances. (Media Coverage)
Lab News
2024: The BIAS Lab moved to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland ✈️ 🏴
2024: Congratulations to BIAS Lab graduating seniors: Will Gaudreau, Erin Luckern, and Niko McPherson!
2024: PhD student Trish successfully defended their master's! Congratulations to Trish Burkins, M.S.
2024: Research assistant Natalie Wagner received the psychology department's award for an outstanding junior student. Way to go Natalie!
2024: Research assistants Sadie and Abigail received competitive summer funding fellowships through the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research ("SURFs"). Congratulations Sadie and Abigail!
2024: Dr. Bailey shared the BIAS Lab's research with psychology departments around the country and around the world! Thank you to Edinburgh, NYU, and others for having us.
2024: Dr. Bailey received a Knowledge Frontier's grant as a co-PI from the British Academy. This grant will facilitate a new line of work on gender, autonomy, and consent with a team of philosophers at Oxford.
2024: PhD student Trish Burkins received a competitive summer funding fellowship, the "STAFF". Congrats Trish!
2024: Dr. Bailey is selected as a ⭐ Rising Star ⭐ by the Association for Psychological Science.
2024: The BIAS Lab was awarded a research grant through the Global, Racial, and Social Inequality Lab at UNH.
2023: Dr. Bailey presented research led by PhD student Trish Burkins at the SESP conference in Wisconsin.
2023: Sofía Briones joined the BIAS Lab as a research coordinator. Welcome Sofía!
2023: Dr. Bailey shared the BIAS Lab's research with psychology departments around the country and around the world! Thank you to UCONN, NYU Abu Dhabi, Maryland, and others for having us.
2023: The BIAS Lab welcomed research assistants Cade, Courtney, Mi, Will G., Will C., Abigail, Sadie, and Niko to the lab. Welcome!
2023: The BIAS Lab presented research posters at the "Live Free" Symposium in Durham, New Hampshire.
2023: Research Coordinator Nich DiMaggio is accepted to the Chicago Booth School of Business Behavioral Science PhD Program. Congrats Nich!
2023: The BIAS Lab was awarded a research grant and summer funding through the Global, Racial, and Social Inequality Lab at UNH.
2023: The BIAS Lab welcomed research assistants Alexandra, Erin, and Paige to the lab.
2022: The BIAS Lab is founded at the University of New Hampshire.