INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH

Sylvia Perry Honored for Research on Racial Bias

IPR scholar receives award and joins prestigious organizations as a fellow

IPR fellow Sylvia Perry (right) meets with IPR graduate research assistant Jonathan Doriscar in the Social Cognition and Intergroup Processes Laboratory.

IPR psychologist Sylvia Perry received three honors this year: the 2024 Ann L. Brown Award for Excellence in Developmental Research and acceptance as a Fellow in the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP).

In September, the Department of Psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign gave Perry the 2024 Ann L. Brown Award for having “contributed ground-breaking insights to the study of child development.” 

“I am deeply grateful to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for honoring me with the Ann L. Brown Award,” Perry said. “It is humbling to be recognized alongside scholars whose work has inspired and guided me since the start of my academic journey.”

After receiving this prestigious award, Perry delivered the 2024 Ann L. Brown Lecture for Excellence in Developmental Science at the University of Illinois on September 13, on “The Development of Racial Bias Awareness.” 

The lecture delved into conversations about race between parents and children—why White parents struggle to discuss racism with their children, how guided discussions about racism can reduce pro-White implicit biases, how parents’ awareness of their own biases can influence these conversations, and how these findings can inform interventions and policies to reduce racial bias.

This spring, Perry became a Fellow of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. SPSSI grants fellowships in “recognition of outstanding contributions to the psychological study of social issues.” In the fall, Perry was also selected as a Fellow in the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. SPSP Fellows are personality and social psychologists who have made groundbreaking contributions to the field.

“To also be recognized by SPSSI and SPSP—organizations that have been at the heart of my academic community for the last two decades—is incredibly meaningful to me,” she said. “These honors from my peers affirm the value of the work I’ve built together with my lab and collaborators.”

Perry’s research focuses on the intersection of social, developmental, and health psychology, exploring the ways that people can become aware of racial biases and how this awareness affects efforts to reduce prejudice, improve intergroup relations, and address health disparities. 

Perry investigates how openly discussing racism can contribute to anti-racism, how White parents’ approach to discussing race affects their children’s attitudes toward Black individuals, and how educational settings shape the way medical professionals treat stigmatized patients.

Recently, a main focus of Perry’s has been investigating the impact of conversations between parents and children about race. Perry’s lab, the Social Cognition and Intergroup Processes Laboratory, studies these conversations to inform school curriculum development and help facilitate discussions of racial bias between parents and children.

“The work in our lab has been a labor of love. I could not have done it without the persistence and invaluable contributions of my collaborators, mentees, lab staff, and (formal and informal) mentors,” Perry said.

“I am also grateful to IPR for providing me with such an intellectually stimulating and supportive community,” she continued. “Our hope is that this research will reach beyond academia—shaping policies, guiding parents and teachers, and ultimately contributing to the reduction of prejudice and inequality.”

Sylvia Perry is an associate professor of psychology and an IPR fellow.

Photo credit: Rob Hart.

Published: December 12, 2024.