Chelsea Schein, a graduate student in Social Psychology, is the recipient of a 2017 Baughman Dissertation Research Award.
The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at UNC offers the Earl and Barbara Baughman Dissertation Research Award annually to two of the top researchers within the department. The purpose of this award is to promote and support innovative dissertation research in our department and to support award recipients in their completion of their dissertation projects.
Chelsea won for her dissertation titled “Beyond Nasty Women & Deplorables: Bridging Political Divides by Focusing on the Common Denominator of Harm.” Ideological polarization is a prevalent and increasingly salient challenge in the United States. Her dissertation explores whether a focus on shared moral values can foster greater tolerance for political opponents, and increase people’s willingness to engage in contentious bipartisan dialogue.