Betsy Levy Paluck

Assistant Professor of Psychology and
Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs
Princeton University

Senior researcher, ideas42

CV

Ph.D. 2007, Yale University (Social Psychology)

email: epaluck (at) princeton (dot) edu
(609) 258 9730  Follow betsylevyp on Twitter 		Congo demobilized soldiers

Research
Online database of prejudice and conflict reduction studies
Papers
Working papers
Consultancy reports
Recommendations for researchers in Central and Horn of Africa

What I Research

Prejudice and conflict reduction: the role of media, community dialogue, and education. Social influence, field methodology, psychology and policy.

I use field experiments and I collect quantitative and qualitative evidence, in settings from Central Africa to U.S. high schools and middle schools.

Some recent questions: 
  • Can we use the media (radio) to reduce prejudice and conflict?  (Rwanda)
  • Radio talk shows, ethnic tolerance, and democracy (Democratic Republic of Congo)
  • Anti-harassment social network interventions with peer influence (U.S.)
  • "What works" for reducing prejudice and conflict? 
  • Can social norms marketing help reduce gender based violence? (Report for the IRC here)
Research Methods
  • Field experiments
  • Surveys, focus groups, participant observation
  • Social networks
Work in progress
  • Media and face-to-face discussion: effects on peace and democracy building (Southern Sudan)
  • Social networks used for field experimental studies of peer influence (US high schools)
  • Qualitative research within field experiments
  • Nollywood films and their impact on citizens' political behavior in Nigeria
  • Telenovelas' influence over Latinos in the US: A randomized time series design.

Online Database: Prejudice and Conflict reduction 

Database documentation A database containing empirical studies of interventions to reduce prejudice and conflict. The database was originally compiled for my article with Donald P. Green ("Prejudice reduction: What works?"), found below. Database users can search for types of interventions and study methodologies, comment on references, and download bibliographies. An RSS feed is available for tracking new contributions to the database. Please email me unpublished reports and new articles to include in the database.  
Published papers

Electronic versions are provided as a professional courtesy to ensure timely dissemination of academic work for individual, noncommercial purposes. Copyright (and all rights therein) resides with the respective copyright holders, as stated within each paper. These files may not be reposted without permission.

Paluck, E.L., & Shepherd, H. (in press). The salience of social referents: A field experiment on collective norms and harassment behavior in a school social network. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Paluck, E.L. (in press). Comment: The dominance of the individual in intergroup relations research: Understanding social change requires psychological theories of collective and structural phenomena. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 

Cialdini, R., & Paluck, E.L. (in press). Field research methods. Handbook of Research Methods in Personality and Social Psychology. Reis, H. T., & Judd, C. M., (Eds). Cambridge University Press.  
.
Paluck, E.L. (in press). Media as an instrument for reconstructing communities following
conflict. Invited chapter for Restoring civil societies: The psychology of
intervention and engagement following crisis, Ed. Kai Jonas & Thomas Morton.

Ball, L., Paluck, E.L., & Fletcher, E. (in press). Reducing gender based violence.  Handbook on Gender and Psychology. Ryan, M., & Branscombe, N., (Eds.). Sage. 

Glick, P., & Paluck, E.L. (in press). The aftermath of genocide: History as proximal cause. Journal of Social Issues, Special Issue, “The Aftermath of Genocide: Psychological Perspectives,” Ed. Johanna Vollhardt and Michal Bilewicz.  

Paluck, E.L. (2012). Prejudice and conflict reduction interventions. Invited chapter for
the Oxford Handbook of Intergroup Conflict, Ed. Linda Tropp.

Trujillo, M., & Paluck, E.L. (2011). The devil knows best: Experimental effects
of a televised soap opera on Latino trust in government and support for the 2010 Census. Analysis of Social Issues and Public Policy.

Paluck, E.L. (2011). Peer pressure against prejudice: A high school field experiment
examining social network change. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 47, 350-358.

Paluck, E.L. (2010). Is it better not to talk? Group polarization, extended contact, and perspective-taking in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36, 1170-1185.

Paluck, E.L. (2010). The promising integration of field experimentation and qualitative
methods. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 628, 59-71.

Williams, M., Paluck, E.L., Rodgers, J., (2010). The masculinity of money: Automatic stereotypes predict gender differences in estimated salaries. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 34, 7-20. 

Paluck, E.L. & Green, D.P. (2009). Deference, dissent, and dispute resolution: An experimental intervention using mass media to change norms and behavior in Rwanda. American Political Science Review, 103, 622-644.

Paluck, E.L. (2009). Reducing intergroup prejudice and conflict using the media: A field experiment in Rwanda. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96, 574-587. 

Paluck, E.L. (2009). What's in a norm? Sources and processes of norm change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96, 594-600. 

Paluck, E.L., & Green, D.P. (2009). Prejudice Reduction: What works? A critical look at evidence from the field and the laboratory. Annual Review of Psychology, 60: 339-367.
                    Additional materials

Paluck, E.L. (2009). Crossing the border, changing tactics: A comparative look at fieldwork in two “post-conflict” zones, east DR Congo and Rwanda, 2005-2007. Chapter for Surviving Research: Doing Fieldwork in Difficult and Violent Situations, ed. C. Sriram et al.

Farrar, C., Fishkin, J., Green, D.P., List, C., Luskin, R., & Paluck, E.L. (2009). Disaggregating deliberation’s effects:  An experiment within a Deliberative Poll. British Journal of Political Science.

Paluck, E.L. (2008). Qualitative methods and field experiments. Qualitative Methods, 2(6), 23-29.

Paluck, E.L. (2006). Diversity training and intergroup contact: A call to action research.
Journal of Social Issues, 62(3), 439-451.

Nagda, B., Paluck, E.L., Tropp, L.T., Eds. (2006). Reducing Prejudice and Promoting Social Inclusion: Integrating Research, Theory, and Practice on Intergroup Relations. Journal of Social Issues Special Issue.

Uhlmann, E., Brescoll, V.L., & Paluck, E.L. (2006). Are members of low status groups
perceived as bad, or badly off? Egalitarian negative associations and automatic prejudice. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 42(4), 491-499.

LaFrance, M., Paluck, E. L., & Brescoll, V. (2004).  Sex changes: A current perspective
on the psychology of gender. In Beall, A., Sternberg, R.J., & Eagly, A., (Eds.) The Psychology of Gender. New York: Guilford Press.

LaFrance, M., Hecht, M., & Paluck, E. L. (2003). The contingent smile: A meta-analysis
of sex differences in smiling. Psychological Bulletin, 129(2), 305-334.

Other publications

Paluck, E.L. (2012). Approaches to Prejudice Reduction. In Christie, D. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Peace Psychology. Wiley-Blackwell.

Paluck, E.L. (2009). Book Review of The Media and the Rwanda Genocide. Ed. Allan Thompson. African Studies Review.

Paluck, E.L. (2007). Book Review of Intimate Enemy, Voices and Images of the Rwandan Genocide. Scott Straus and Robert Lyons. International Journal of African Historical Studies.

Green, D.P., & Paluck, E. L. (2004). Double blind procedures. In Lewis-Beck, M. (Ed.),
Encyclopedia of Social Science Research Methods. Sage Press.

 Consultancy reports

Paluck, E.L., & Ball, L. (2010). Social norms marketing aimed at gender based
violence: A literature review and critical assessment. New York: International
Rescue Committee.
             See executive summary of report
             Table of studies used for literature review (abbreviated pdf) (detailed excel)

Paluck, E.L. (2009). The impact of the Let’s Talk civic education program: Examination
of listener discussion, attitudes, and behavior. Evaluation report for the National Democratic Institute, Southern Sudan.

Paluck, E.L. (2008). Listening and debating: An evaluation of Rwanda’s Kuki (Why?)
radio magazine and local debate program. Evaluation report for LaBenevolencija Great Lakes Reconciliation Project.

Paluck, E.L. (2007). Kumbuka Kesho (Remember Tomorrow): A radio soap opera and
talk show’s impact on community relations and opinions in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Evaluation report for LaBenevolencija Great Lakes Reconciliation Project.

Paluck, E.L. (2007). Génération Grands Lacs: Impact on young opinion leaders and their
local networks in Burundi, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo. Statistical analysis for LaBenevolencija Great Lakes Reconciliation Project and Search for Common Ground.

Paluck, E.L. (2006). The second year of a “New Dawn”: Year Two evidence for the
impact of the Rwandan reconciliation radio drama Musekeweya. Evaluation report
for LaBenevolencija Great Lakes Reconciliation Project.

Paluck, E.L. (2006). Strategy for evaluation of a regional media program evaluation, DR
Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi. Report for LaBenevolencija Great Lakes Reconciliation Project.

Paluck, E.L. (2005). Impact Evaluation of the Anti-Defamation League Peer Training
Program. Report prepared for the Anti-Defamation League, Boston, MA.

Dissertation: 
Working papers

Shepherd, H., & Paluck, E.L. (in prep). Stopping the Drama: A field experiment on network signals, gender, and social influence in a high school.

Paluck, E.L., Blair, G., & Vexler, D. (in prep). Entertaining, informing, and discussing: Behavioral effects of a democracy-building radio intervention in Southern Sudan.

Cikara, M., & Paluck, E.L. (in prep). When going along gets you nowhere.

Paluck, E.L., & Shafir, E. (in prep). Ignoring alarming news brings indifference.

Work in the Great Lakes or Southern Sudan?
I can recommend researchers who have worked with me in Rwanda, DRC, and Southern Sudan. 

Please email me for specific recommendations.
epaluck (at) princeton (dot) edu

Top photo by Riccardo Gangale		 nord kivu
yr1rwanda
 sud kivu
Juba RAs Full Sudan team

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