My research reveals how people think and make decisions under threat and in political contexts.
One exciting line of research has implications for choice structures. When presented with two candidates who are either extremely similar or extremely different, people prefer to have an additional option to choose from (Pogge & Smith; invited revision; R scripts available at: https://github.com/gabriellepogge).
Another line of research examines how people respond to threat in information processing. People sometimes prefer to avoid information that is inconsistent with their attitudes and beliefs. People who report greater racial prejudice report less desire to learn about White privilege (Conway, Lipsey, Pogge, & Ratliff, 2017). When people are unable to avoid such information, they instead respond defensively. People who learn they harbor implicit biases engage in defensive responding (e.g., derogate the information), especially when such bias deviates from their consciously endorsed, explicit attitudes (Howell, Redford, Pogge, & Ratliff, 2017).
A third line of research examines how thoughts about safety influence support for "campus carry"--policies to allow people with a concealed weapons permit to carry concealed firearms on college campuses. People who presumably view guns as a source of safety (people who own guns for protection reasons) report support for such legislation. On the other hand, people who presumably view guns as a source of threat (non-owners and people who guns exclusively for non-protection reasons) report opposition to campus carry (Shepperd, Pogge, Losee, Lipsey, & Redford, 2018) and expect allowing guns on campus will negatively impact the academic experience (Shepperd, Losee, Pogge, Lipsey, Redford, & Crandall, 2018).
Another line of research examines how people respond to threat in information processing. People sometimes prefer to avoid information that is inconsistent with their attitudes and beliefs. People who report greater racial prejudice report less desire to learn about White privilege (Conway, Lipsey, Pogge, & Ratliff, 2017). When people are unable to avoid such information, they instead respond defensively. People who learn they harbor implicit biases engage in defensive responding (e.g., derogate the information), especially when such bias deviates from their consciously endorsed, explicit attitudes (Howell, Redford, Pogge, & Ratliff, 2017).
A third line of research examines how thoughts about safety influence support for "campus carry"--policies to allow people with a concealed weapons permit to carry concealed firearms on college campuses. People who presumably view guns as a source of safety (people who own guns for protection reasons) report support for such legislation. On the other hand, people who presumably view guns as a source of threat (non-owners and people who guns exclusively for non-protection reasons) report opposition to campus carry (Shepperd, Pogge, Losee, Lipsey, & Redford, 2018) and expect allowing guns on campus will negatively impact the academic experience (Shepperd, Losee, Pogge, Lipsey, Redford, & Crandall, 2018).