Danielle Gaucher, associate professor in the U of M’s department of psychology and Canada research chair in social inequality, gender and public policy (tier ii), studies social justice and social change through a social-psychological lens. Her work is focused on the individual and institutional processes that help maintain the status quo, and the conditions that may support meaningful change.
Her interest in the field began with a longstanding concern for social justice. When she realized during graduate school that she could bring those interests into social psychology, the direction of her research became clear.
“It’s important to keep the needle moving towards pro-social changes, and I feel like our research helps do that,” she said.
One of Gaucher’s established areas of research examines gendered wording. Some of her earlier work documented the presence of masculine and feminine wording in job advertisements and found that “gendered wording can dissuade women from feeling a sense of belonging within certain occupations,” she shared.
Her recent research extends that question into university classrooms.
Gaucher and her collaborators are now examining whether gendered wording in course descriptions can influence how appealing a course appears to prospective students. “Preliminary data suggests that highly masculinely worded course descriptions lead to less felt belonging for some people,” she noted.
The research points to a broader question about inclusion. Institutional materials may appear neutral, yet small differences in language can influence whether individuals see themselves as fitting within a particular field, classroom or workplace.
Gaucher’s work seems to have moved beyond academic research. According to Gaucher, findings on gendered language in job advertisements have been used by industry to develop tools that identify gendered wording in written materials. Some of these tools also suggest more inclusive alternatives.
“I see the work as both advancing social-psychological theory but also affecting real-world outcomes,” she said.
Her research program is continuing to expand into other areas related to identity and social inequality.
One upcoming project examines how commercial ancestry tests can influence people’s understanding of their social identities. Gaucher also shared developing research on contemporary preferences for children’s gender and “how certain ideologies are associated with women’s mobility and exploration.”
These different projects remain connected by her broader interest of understanding how social environments and institutions shape people’s opportunities, identities and sense of belonging. Gaucher wants her work to contribute to social change both inside and outside academia.
“Ultimately, I hope that the work helps to make the world a more just place,” she said.
For students interested in social psychology, Gaucher encouraged students to seek opportunities early like volunteering in labs aligned with their interests. According to her, these positions can provide hands-on experience, introduce students to faculty and graduate researchers and potentially lead to paid research assistant positions, honours research or graduate studies.
Gaucher’s work has been published in journals such as the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
