Area of Interest: Civic Engagement

Carlos Santos

August 23, 2018/in Social Welfare Activism, Adolescents, Children and Families, Civic Engagement, Educational Attainment, Ethnic-Racial Identity, Gender Identity, Heterosexism, Mental Health, Racism, Sexual Identity Carlos Santos All Faculty, Senate/Field/Adjunct Faculty Faculty /by Mike Alvarez

Dr. Santos’ research draws on diverse disciplines, theories and methods to better understand how oppressions (e.g., racism, heterosexism, etc.) overlap to create unique conditions for individuals; conditions that are shaped by the contexts one occupies, with implications for one’s development and well-being. He is interested in how individuals cope with these overlapping stressors through attitudes associated with membership in different social groups (e.g., having pride in one’s ethnic-racial and/or sexual identity group), and positions one occupies (e.g., being undocumented), and whether such coping attenuate or amplify the negative consequences of overlapping oppressions on mental health, educational outcomes, and civic engagement. His research is concerned with questions such as: How are racist and heterosexist events uniquely and jointly related to mental health among queer Latinx youth? Does having pride in being Latinx and/or queer buffer or amplify these effects? Ultimately, the aim is to translate this research into practical intervention.

Dr. Santos has authored nearly 30 peer reviewed publications. His co-edited book with Adriana Umaña-Taylor, Studying Ethnic Identity: Methodological and Conceptual Approaches Across Disciplines, was published in 2015 by the American Psychological Association Press. He co-edited a peer reviewed journal section on the applications of intersectionality to the helping professions published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, and he co-edited a special issue on the integration of an intersectionality lens in developmental science published in New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development. Along with colleagues, he has received funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health. In 2017 he was awarded the “Emerging Professional Contributions to Research Award” by the Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race of the American Psychological Association.

Dr. Santos received his PhD in Developmental Psychology from New York University, a master’s degree in education from Harvard University, and a bachelor’s degree from New York University.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Santos, C. E., & Toomey, R. B. (Eds.). (in press). Envisioning the integration of an intersectionality lens in developmental science. [Special issue]. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development.

Santos, C. E., & VanDaalen, R. A. (2018). Associations among psychological distress, high-risk activism and conflict between ethnic-racial and sexual minority identities in lesbian, gay, bisexual racial/ethnic minority adults. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 65(2), 194-203. doi: 10.1037/cou0000241

Santos, C. E., & Toomey, R. B. (2018). Integrating an intersectionality lens in theory and research in developmental science. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1002/cad.20245

Santos, C. E., Kornienko, O., & Rivas-Drake, D. (2017). Peer influence on ethnic-racial identity development in adolescence: A multi-site investigation. Child Development, 88(3), 725-742. doi: 10.1111/cdev.12789

Santos, C. E., Menjívar, C., VanDaalen, R. A., Kornienko, O., Updegraff, K. A., & Cruz, S. (2017). Awareness of Arizona’s immigration law SB 1070 predicts classroom behavioural problems among Latino youths during early adolescence. Ethnic and Racial Studies 41(9), 1672-1690. doi: 10.1080/01419870.2017.1311021

Santos, C. E., Grzanka, P. R., & Moradi, B. (Eds.). (2017). Intersectionality research in counseling psychology. [Special section]. Journal of Counseling Psychology.

Santos, C. E., & Collins, M. A. (2016). Ethnic identity, school connectedness, and achievement in standardized tests among Mexican-origin youth. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 22(3), 447-452. doi: 10.1037/cdp0000065

Santos, C. E., & VanDaalen, R. A. (2016). The associations of sexual and ethnic–racial identity commitment, conflicts in allegiances, and mental health among lesbian, gay, and bisexual racial and ethnic minority adults. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(6), 668-676. doi: 10.1037/cou0000170

Santos, C. E., & Umaña-Taylor, A. J. (Eds.). (2015). Studying ethnic identity: Methodological and conceptual approaches across disciplines. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. doi: 10.1037/14618-000

Santos, C. E., & Updegraff, K. A. (2014). Feeling typical, looking typical: Physical appearance and ethnic identity among Mexican-origin youth. Journal of Latina/o Psychology, 2(4), 187-199. doi: 10.1037/lat0000023

Jason Anthony Plummer

July 17, 2018/in Social Welfare Civic Engagement, Critical Race Theory, Political Behavior, Sociopolitical Development, Youth Development PhD PhD Students /by Mike Alvarez

Jason Anthony Plummer’s research is grounded in critical consciousness development and draws from positive youth development, psychological empowerment, social identity development, and social justice theories to understand sociopolitical development among youth of various ethnic groups. A driving question of his research is how and why adolescents and young adults become engaged in political systems as critical actors.

Critical consciousness is the capacity to understand the structural nature of oppressive and social injustices coupled with a desire to take action towards undoing their existence. Mr. Plummer’s research agenda is to document patterns of developmental change in critical consciousness across adolescence and young adulthood and corresponding changes in various forms of engagement. A goal of Mr. Plummer’s research is to identify how relationships and experiences in everyday contexts such as families, schools, and neighborhoods foster growth in critical consciousness and critical participatory behaviors. Further, he is interested in examining mechanisms that explain sociopolitical inequalities and understanding ethnic and cultural differences in youth civic engagement and political behavior. Mr. Plummer also conceptualizes critical consciousness as a worldview that may influence professional conduct within social service and state agencies (mental health, healthcare, and policing). His program of research uses both quantitative and qualitative methodologies has both theoretical and applied implications. His research projects have received funding from UCLA’s graduate division and honorable mention status from the Ford Foundation.

Mr. Plummer received his B.A. in psychology from Baruch College, CUNY, and both his master’s in social work and urban planning are from the University of Michigan. He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Urban Social Work and author of Families in the Urban Environment: Understanding resiliency (Cognella, 2018)

Laura Wray-Lake

May 10, 2016/in Social Welfare Adolescents, Children and Families, Civic Engagement, Education, Empowerment, Equity, Political Behavior, Social Responsibility, Youth Development Laura Wray-Lake All Faculty, Senate/Field/Adjunct Faculty Faculty /by Les Dunseith

Dr. Wray-Lake’s research is grounded in lifespan developmental theory and draws from multiple disciplines to understand optimal social development among youth. A driving question of her research is how and why individuals become engaged in society. Thus, her research is centrally focused on youth civic engagement.

Civic engagement consists of behaviors, values, knowledge, and skills that comprise political and prosocial contributions to community and society. Wray-Lake’s research documents patterns of developmental change in civic engagement across adolescence and young adulthood. Findings are showing that developmental trajectories vary across individuals and differ by type of civic engagement. A primary interest is identifying how relationships and experiences in everyday contexts such as families, schools, and neighborhoods foster growth in youth civic engagement. She is interested in examining mechanisms that explain socioeconomic inequalities and understanding ethnic and cultural differences in youth civic engagement. Dr. Wray-Lake also conceptualizes civic engagement as a malleable lever that can promote youth thriving, and has interests in linking civic engagement to socioemotional competencies and psychological well-being. Her program of research uses mixed methodologies and has both conceptual and applied implications.

Dr. Wray-Lake received her PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from the Pennsylvania State University, a master’s degree in Psychology from Bucknell University, and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Wake Forest University.

CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

The Roots of Engaged Citizenship Project: This project is a five-year longitudinal study of civic development spanning childhood and adolescence, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Aaron Metzger at West Virginia University and Dr. Amy Syvertsen at Search Institute. With these data, we will newly document patterns of age-related change in multiple types of civic engagement. Longitudinal analyses aim to identify different contextual supports that promote civic engagement among elementary, middle, and high school youth. We are also investigating bidirectional associations between civic engagement and socioemotional competencies as they unfold over time. We conduct this research in school settings with valuable school partners in California, Minnesota, and West Virginia. For information and updates, visit our project website: www.civicroots.org.

Civic Engagement across the Transition to Adulthood: Funded by the Spencer Foundation, this project examines developmental, contextual, and historical effects of civic engagement across ages 18 to 30. Using nationally representative longitudinal cohort sequential data from Monitoring the Future, we aim to: (1) describe complex, meaningful patterns of developmental change in multiple forms of civic engagement (i.e., social responsibility, volunteering, political actions), (2) identify experiences in high school and across young adulthood that predict developmental change in civic engagement, and (3) investigate variations in developmental patterns and correlates of civic engagement across social groups (e.g., socioeconomic status, ethnicity) and three decades of historical cohorts. Findings are expected to inform applied research and policy efforts to improve civic education during the transition to adulthood.

Youth Voice Study: Youth in urban contexts are vastly under-researched, particularly in terms of their civic engagement. This study aims to understand the factors that motivate, facilitate, and empower youth to engage in their communities and address social issues as well as the obstacles to empowerment and contributors to disengagement among urban youth. We conducted one-on-one interviews with 90 urban and primarily ethnic minority youth. Hearing from youth in their own voices will jumpstart new thinking to invigorate this field of research and shed more light on the ways that communities can support youth’s authentic contributions to their community.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Wray-Lake, L., Metzger, A., & Syvertsen A.K. (2016). Testing multidimensional models of youth civic engagement: Model comparisons, measurement invariance, and age differences. Applied Developmental Science.

Wray-Lake, L., Syvertsen, A.K., & Flanagan, C.A. (2016). Developmental change in social responsibility during adolescence: An ecological perspective. Developmental Psychology, 52(1), 130-142.

Wray-Lake, L., Rote, W., Gupta, T., Godfrey, E., & Sirin, S. (2015). Examining correlates of civic engagement among immigrant adolescents. Research on Human Development. 12(1-2), 10-27.

Wray-Lake, L., & Sloper, M. (2015). Youth civic engagement and the role of experiences across contexts. Applied Developmental Science.

Wray-Lake, L., Rote, W., Victorino, C., & Benavides, C.M. (2014). Examining developmental transitions in civic engagement across adolescence: Evidence from a national U.S. sample. International Journal of Developmental Science, 8, 95-104.

Wray-Lake, L., & Flanagan, C. A. (2012). Parenting practices and the development of adolescents’ social trust. Journal of Adolescence, 35, 549-560.

Wray-Lake, L., Flanagan, C. A., & Maggs, J. L. (2012). Socialization in context: Exploring longitudinal correlates of mothers’ value messages of compassion and caution. Developmental Psychology, 48(1), 250-256. doi:10.1037/a0026083

Wray-Lake, L., & Hart, D. (2012). Growing social inequalities in youth civic engagement? Evidence from the National Election Study. PS: Political Science and Politics, 45, 456-461.

Wray-Lake, L., Maggs, J. L., Bachman, J., Johnston, L., O’Malley, P., & Schulenberg, J. 2012). Associations between community attachments and adolescent substance use in nationally representative samples. Journal of Adolescent Health, 51, 325-331.

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