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Race and Racialized Identity: Biological Pillar

Resources to help broaden representation related to race and racialized identity across the biological pillar of APA’s National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula


Educators can use the following links to jump to a specific section of this page:

Research summaries

Suggested instructions:  Research summaries can be incorporated into a lecture or shared with students as a reading to demonstrate how psychological science explores the diversity of human experience. These resources can also be used to encourage students to identify the major components of a research study (i.e., the hypothesis or study question, sample, method, and findings). Students can be asked to identify potential limitations of the study and encouraged to discuss the implications for our understanding of human behavior. Keywords highlight how concepts within and across pillars are incorporated into a single research study.

Sample research summaries

Empathy constrained: Prejudice predicts reduced mental simulation of actions during observation of outgroups

Research demonstrates how prejudice can influence neural mechanisms and reduce empathy for others

A brief mindfulness intervention reduces the tendency to endorse negative Black stereotypes

Mindfulness practice holds some promise for reducing people’s tendency to use stereotypes

Sleep deprivation and racial bias in the decision to shoot: A diffusion model analysis

An experimental study of sleep deprivation and racial bias with implications for policing

Genes involved in stress response and alcohol use among high-risk African American youth

An investigation into how genetic and environmental factors interact to influence alcohol use

Psychologist profiles

Suggested instructions:  Profiles can be shared with students to enhance the visibility of psychologists of diverse backgrounds. As an additional activity, students can be asked to conduct research to learn more about the psychologist and their work. An alternative assignment could be to ask students to find other psychologists of diverse backgrounds whose work falls into this content pillar. Keywords highlight how psychological scientists study concepts within and across pillars.

Sample psychologist profiles

Carlos Aizenman, PhD

One of the 100 most inspiring Hispanic/Latino scientists in America whose research focuses on brain development

Gloria Twine Chisum, PhD

This award-winning psychologist used psychological science to improve pilot vision

Carl Hart, PhD

A scientist, activist, and educator using psychology and neuropharmacology to improve treatment policies related to drug use

Jennifer Manly, PhD

A renowned psychologist committed to identifying factors that contribute to inequities in cognitive aging

Additional resources

Suggested instructions: Additional resources are provided as supporting instructional aids for teachers to use in class.

Charts

  • Yip, T. (2020, June 24). Discrimination stress and sleep disturbance. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/racism-bias-discrimination/sleep-stress

    The charts in this article labeled 4a, 4b, and 4c show an association between quality sleep and the negative impact of discrimination. The research found that quality sleep mitigated negative health impacts of discrimination stress. This was associated with better long term mental health.

Videos

The development of resources to broaden diversity and representation in the teaching of high school psychology resources is an APA Committee of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools initiative supported by funding from the American Psychological Foundation David and Carol Myers Fund. This resource was developed by Eric Castro, Shawn C.T. Jones, PhD, Allyn Olsen, and Catherine Sanderson, PhD.

Date created: August 2023