Curtis E. Phills

Assistant Professor of Psychology

University of North Florida

Biography

Curtis E. Phills leads the Bias Busting Social Cognition Lab at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, FL. He studies strategies to reduce implicit bias including extensive one-session training programs that target the associations that comprise implicit bias.

His current research investigates the role of identity in maintaining and reducing implicit bias with the goal of developing long-term anti-bias interventions. He also examines the consequences of anti-racism interventions that do not consider the unique prejudices and stereotypes faced by Black women.

Interests

The roots of implicit bias
Reducing implicit bias
How implicit bias produces discrimination

Education

Ph.D., Psychology, 2012

York University
M.A., Psychology, 2006

York University
B.A. (Honors), Psychology, 2004

York University

Publications

E.R. Brown, C. E. Phills, D.G. Mercurio IV, M. Olah, C.J. Veilleux (2018). Ain't She a Woman ? How Warmth and Competence Stereotypes about Women and Female Politicians Contribute to the Warmth and Competence Traits Ascribed to Individual Female Politicians . Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12151.

C. E. Phills, K. Kawakami, D. R. Krusemark, J. Nguyen (2017). Does Reducing Implicit Prejudice Increase Out - Group Identification ? The Downstream Consequences of Evaluative Training on Associations Between the Self and Racial Categories . Social Psychological and Personality Science, (1-9), https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550617732817.

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C. E Phills, A. Williams, J. M. Wolff, A. Smith, R. Arnold, K. Felegy, M. E. Kuenzig (2017). Intersecting race and gender stereotypes: Implications for group-level attitudes , Intersecting race and gender stereotypes: Implications for group-level attitudes. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, (1-13), https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430217706742.

B. Gawronski, M. Morrison, C. E. Phills, S. Galdi (2017). Temporal Stability of Implicit and Explicit Measures : A Longitudinal Analysis . Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, (43), 3, https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167216684131.

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T.V. West, A.R. Pearson, J. F. Dovidio, B.T. Johnson, C. E. Phills (2014). Racial attitudes and visual cues in political judgments: support for Obama during the 2008 presidential election. Cultural diversity and ethnic minority psychology, (20), 4, https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036947.

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C.W. Struthers, A.G. Santelli, C. Khoury, M. Pang, R.E. Young, Y. Kashefi, Z. Marjanovic, Curtis E Phills, K. Nash, N.A. Vasquez (2014). The Role of Victim Embarrassment in Explaining Why Apologies Affect Reported ( But Not Actual ) Forgiveness . Journal of Language and Social Psychology, (33), 5, https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X14520983.

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A.R. Pearson, J. F. Dovidio, C. E. Phills, I. N. Onyeador (2013). Attitude-goal correspondence and interracial interaction: Implications for executive function and impression formation. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, (49), 5, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2013.03.015.

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R.E. Young, C.W. Struthers, C. Khoury, S. Muscat, C. E. Phills, M. Mongrain (2013). Forgiveness and revenge: The conflicting needs of dependents and self-critics in relationships. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, (32), 10.

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M. Brauer, A. Er-rafiy, K. Kawakami, C. E. Phills (2012). Describing a group in positive terms reduces prejudice less effectively than describing it in positive and negative terms. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, (48), 3, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2011.11.002.

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K. Kawakami, C. E. Phills, A. G. Greenwald, D. Simard, J. Pontiero, A. Brnjas, B. Khan, J. Mills, J. F. Dovidio (2012). In perfect harmony: Synchronizing the self to activated social categories. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, (102), 3, https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025970.

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Curtis E Phills, K. Kawakami, E. Tabi, D. Nadolny, M. Inzlicht (2011). Mind the Gap: Increasing Associations Between the Self and Blacks With Approach Behaviors . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, (100), 2, https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022159.

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I. McGregor, K. Nash, N. Mann, C. E. Phills (2010). Anxious Uncertainty and Reactive Approach Motivation (RAM). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, (99), 1, https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019701.

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M.L. Hatzenbuehler, J. Dovidio, S. Nolen-Hoeksema, C. E. Phills (2009). An implicit measure of anti-gay attitudes: Prospective associations with emotion regulation strategies and psychological distress. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, (45), 6, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2009.08.005.

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K. Kawakami, J.R. Steele, C. Cifa, C. E. Phills, J. F. Dovidio (2008). Approaching math increases math = me and math = pleasant. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, (44), 3, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2007.07.009.

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K. Kawakami, C. E. Phills, J.R. Steele, J. F. Dovidio (2007). (Close) Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: Improving Implicit Racial Attitudes and Interracial Interactions Through Approach Behaviors. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, (92), 6, https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.6.957.

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Teaching

Social Psychology

Social Psychology is one of the most enjoyable courses to teach because it exposes students to the science behind many of the most important aspects of their lives: relationships, belonging, identity, helping, harming, attitudes, and even discrimination. In this course, students learn to identify the basic theoretical and methodological approaches used by social psychologists and apply them to their lives and societal problems.

Fundamentals of Conflict Transformation

In Fundamentals of Conflict Transformation, students learn how to transform conflict rooted in social biases like prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. The course begins with the psychology of diversity and inclusion and challenges students to think about how power, privilege, and oppression shape the world we live in. Students complete a capstone project in which they identify a source of conflict and use what they’ve learned in the course to develop solutions.

Harry Potter and the Science of Psychology

Students learn faster and retain information better when new information is connected to known ideas and concepts. In this course, students are challenged to connect the principles, theories, and research of psychological science to the world of Harry Potter. Topics covered include prejudice, stereotyping, group processes, personality, moral reasoning, child development, cross-cultural psychology, self-fulfilling prophecies, learning/memory/cognition, power, and leadership.

Implicit Bias