Grace Rivera
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
BIO
Grace Rivera is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Mississippi. She earned her B.S. in psychology and international relations from SUNY Geneseo in 2015 and her Ph.D. in social and personality psychology from Texas A&M University in 2020, with a graduate certificate in Africana Studies. She has published in journals such as Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Review of General Psychology, and Journal of Social Issues and has received funding from the US Department of Justice. Dr. Rivera’s research is guided by an interest in the lay-theories people hold about selves and systems. She uses perspectives from existential and cultural psychology in her work on lay-theories about true selves and authenticity, American meritocracy, and systemic racism.
WHY CLI?
As a social and cultural psychologist, I'm interested in the individual and situational factors that foster well-being and positive interpersonal and intergroup relations. Thus, understanding how to foster moral, intellectual, and civic virtues is of interest to me both from a research standpoint (e.g., how do we more effectively communicate around difficult issues, challenge biases, and better understand ourselves?) and as an instructor looking to structure my classroom in ways that further support productive dialogues, inclusive engagement, growth, and learning.