Sasha Y. Kimel, Ph.D. (University of Michigan). Dr. Sasha Kimel is a social and cultural psychologist. She joined the Psychology Department at California State University, San Marcos in Fall 2018 as an Assistant Professor of Psychology. Beforehand, Dr. Kimel was at Harvard University where she was a Harvard College Fellow, a postdoctoral fellow and a lecturer. She received her PhD from the University of Michigan. Her psychological research on intergroup conflict and culture draws on her background in public policy as well as her experience working at the United Nations and non-profits focused on international conflict resolution. She has lived in Canada, Japan, Singapore and Israel/Palestine. 

To learn more, please visit: www.kimellab.com

Academic Positions   

Psychology Department, Harvard University  (2013 - 2018) 

• Harvard College Fellowship, Postdoctoral Fellowship & Lecturer

Education 

Ph.D. in Social Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor   (2013)

• 2011 – 13, Science, Technology & Public Policy Certificate
• 2008 – 09, Culture & Cognition Certificate

B.A. in Psychology, University of British Columbia  (2005)

• 2004 – 05, UCLA (Visiting Student)
• 2003 – 04, National University of Singapore (Exchange Student)     

Peer-Reviewed Publications

*student co-authors

Kimel, S.Y.,  Bierwiaczonek, K., Obaidi, M., Foeman, A., Lawton, B., Sidanius, J., Kunst, J.R., (In Press). Finding Your Roots: Do DNA Ancestry Tests Increase Racial (In)tolerance? Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. 

Yeh, Y.J., Chen, J.H., Tsai, W., Kimel, S.Y. (In Press). Culture, Family Problems, Emotion Dysregulation and Nonsuicidal Self-injury: Differences among Taiwanese and Americans'. Current Psychology. 

Rockwell, D.M. & Kimel, S.Y. (In Press). Social Class Stressors? A Systematic Review of First-Generation College Students’ Negative Emotions. Journal of American College Health.

Yeh, Y.J., Chen, J.H., Tsai, W., Kimel, S.Y. (2022). Examining the Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale Across Taiwanese and American University Students. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment.

Obaidi, M. Kunst, J., Ozer, M., Kimel, S.Y. (2021). The Great Replacement Conspiracy: How the Perceived Ousting of Whites Can Evoke Violent Extremism and Islamophobia. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations. 

Kimel, S.Y., Mischkowski, D., Miyagawa, Y., Niiya, Y. (2021). Left Out But “In Control”? Culture Variations in Feelings of Control when Excluded by a Close-Other. Social Psychological and Personality Science. 

Cousar, K.*, Carnes, N., & Kimel, S.Y. (2021). Morality & Inter-Political Conflict: How morality can tinder for violence and escalation. Social Cognition. 

Tsai, W. & Kimel, S.Y. (2020). When and How Supporting Others Can Improve Life Satisfaction:  A Longitudinal Study Examining Collectivistic Values. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. 

Uenal, F., Bergh, R., Sidanius, J., Zick, A., Kimel, S.Y. & Kunst, J. (2020). The nature of Islamophobia: A test of a tripartite view in five countries. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 

Kunst, J. R., Kimel, S.Y., Alayan, R., & Thomsen, L. (2018).  Can Abraham Bring Peace? The Relationship between Acknowledging Shared Religious Roots and Intergroup Conflict. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.

Kunst, J., Boos, B., Kimel S.Y., Obaidi, M, Shani, M., & Thomsen, L. (2018). Extreme activism supporting others' political struggles: The role of politically motivated out-group fusion. PLOS ONE.

Kimel, S.Y., Mischkowski, D., Uchida, Y. & Kitayama, S. (2017). Culture, Emotions & The Cold Shoulder:
Cultural Differences in the Anger and Sadness Response to Ostracism. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology.

Kimel, S.Y., Huesmann, L.R., Kunst, J. & Halperin, E. (2016). Living in a Genetic World: How Learning about Interethnic Genetic Similarities and Differences Affects Peace and Conflict. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.  

• Featured in The Washington Post

Kimel, S.Y., Lopez-Duran, N. & Kitayama, S. (2015). Physiological Correlates of Choice-Induced Dissonance:  An Exploration of HPA-Axis Responses. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making. 28 (4). 309-316.

 McDonald, M., Porat, R., Yarkoney, A., Reifen Tagar, M., Kimel, S., Saguy, T., & Halperin, E. (2015). Intergroup emotional similarity reduces dehumanization and promotes conciliatory attitudes in prolonged conflict. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 20(1), 125-136.

Kimel, S.Y., Grossmann, I. & Kitayama, S. (2012). When Gift-giving Produces Dissonance: Effects of Subliminal Affiliation Priming on Choices for One’s Self versus Close Others. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 48(5), 1221-1224.

Qin, J., Kimel, S.Y., Kitayama, S., Wang, X., Yang, X. & Han, S. (2011). How Choices Modify Preferences: Neural Correlates of Choice Justification. NeuroImage, 55(1). 240-246

Other Publications

Hudson, S. & Kimel, S.Y. (2018). New Racism. In: Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social Theory. Turner B.S. (Ed); Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

Kimel, S.Y. & Kunst, J. (2016). Can DNA Ancestry Testing Make You More Racist? Scientific American.

• Multicultural Perspectives in Psychology  (PSYC 341)
• Social Psychology Lab (PSYC 396)
• Social Psychology (PSYCH 332)

CV

To find out more about Dr. Kimel's research and how to join her Culture & Intergroup Relations Lab, please visit: www.kimellab.com