Dr. Mason Burns is a social cognitive psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences. His research interests concern the development and maintenance of interpersonal biases, along with a particular emphasis on bias reduction. Across numerous programs of research, Dr. Burns has examined the impact of various bias reduction strategies (e.g., self-regulation, counterstereotyping, and interpersonal confrontation) on overt and subtle forms of bias directed toward a number of stigmatized groups. His interest in bias extends to understanding how and why people develop self-serving biases and the potential interpersonal consequences of these biases. 

The overarching goal of my work is to better understand how individuals respond to threats to their social and personal identities, with a particular focus on majority versus minority identity.

Currently, I have two primary areas of research within this tradition. In the first, I study the factors that influence majority group members' (e.g., White/European Americans') perceptions of threat from and attitudes toward minority groups, and vice versa. Much of my work in this area examines reasons that majority group members may see multiculturalism - the recognition and celebration of diversity - as threatening, and ways to reduce these feelings of threat. In the second, I study the causes and consequences of stereotyping/prejudice among religious majorities (e.g., negative stereotypes about Christians' scientific abilities) and minorities (e.g., negative stereotypes about atheists' morality and trustworthiness), both within the U.S. and cross-culturally.