Dr. Morgan Jerald – Information for Prospective Graduate Students
Website: www.jeraldiamlab.com
Current research: Research conducted in the Intersectionality and Marginalization (I.AM) Lab broadly considers how sociocultural forces shape Black girls’ and women’s identities, attitudes, and behavior. Drawing on theories and methods from social and developmental psychology, Black feminism, and communication studies, our current research is guided by two overarching questions. First, how do the media act as agents of gender and sexual socialization for Black adolescents and young adults? Second, when Black girls and women are aware that others hold stereotypes of their group, what are the consequences for their physical, mental, and sexual well-being? Here are a few examples of specific research questions we’re currently investigating:
- What factors predict Black women’s feelings of sexual empowerment?
- What are the associations among perceived discrimination, attitudes about interracial interactions, and health among Black Americans?
- How do Black and White women evaluate men who sexually objectify them?
- How does pornography use shape Black girls’ sexual scripts and sexual well-being?
- How is social media use associated with the body attitudes/cognitions and mental health of teen girls of color?
To investigate these topics, we draw heavily on intersectionality theory (Crenshaw, 1989), which examines how intersecting systems of oppression (e.g., racism and sexism) uniquely shape the experiences of Black women. We also employ multiple data collection methods (e.g., surveys, experiments, participatory action research, longitudinal research, etc.).
Communication Prior to Applying: In the spirit of fairness and equity for all applicants, I do not meet with any prospective students prior to the review of application materials. I also don’t privilege or prioritize applications from prospective students who have contacted me prior to applying. This policy ensures that I’m able to read every application that I receive with an open mind and from the same initial starting point. That said, you are welcome to email me with any questions about my research or lab (seriously, don’t hesitate to!). If you have questions about completing/submitting the UW Madison Psychology Department application itself, the best person to contact is our graduate coordinator, Kevin Belt, kbelt@psych.wisc.edu.
Areas I’m Willing to Advise Students in: Social or the Individualized Graduate Major. Note: Though some of my research examines mental health outcomes, I do not advise students in the Clinical program.
How I Evaluate Applicants: Like all faculty members in the Psychology Department, I evaluate prospective graduate students holistically. Therefore, I consider all possible ways in which students’ application materials can demonstrate excellence and a strong likelihood of thriving in the graduate program and my lab. As such, the information below should be treated as general rules of thumb rather than a highly proscriptive “checklist” of attributes that candidates must have in order to be considered for admittance to my lab.
- Research fit: The most successful applicants to my lab clearly articulate a deep interest in my program of research and a strong overlap between their research interests and mine. One thing I find very exciting about working with graduate students is their potential to advance my work in novel and interesting directions. At the same time, it is most ideal if your ideas for future research, at their core, align with my interests and expertise; it would be very difficult for me to advise you on research topics about which I have no knowledge.
- Previous research experience: Most successful applicants to my lab have typically had at least one year of lab research experience, either as an undergraduate or through a post-bacc research position (e.g., as a research assistant or lab manager in a psychology lab (or a related field) or in a nonacademic research position). More competitive applicants have typically also conducted some type of independent research, such as a senior thesis or a summer independent research project. This previous research experience is important for several reasons. First, the process of conducting research can be challenging, and previous experience helps you determine whether you truly enjoy this type of work; you should have a concrete understanding of what you’re getting yourself into. Second, it helps you identify the research questions that interest you most.
It’s also beneficial if you have experience with study design, data collection, and/or data analysis. Familiarity with designing quantitative or qualitative studies, using statistical software (e.g., R or SPSS), writing IRB protocols, creating Qualtrics surveys, and/or running studies on online platforms (e.g., Prolific) is a plus, though not required.
Note: It would be rare for me to accept a student who has never worked in a research lab before or done any social science research. If you lack this experience, I recommend applying to post-bacc research positions or reaching out to labs to inquire about available research opportunities.
- Academic preparation: I’m a strong believer that prospective students don’t have to know everything or have mastered every skill before starting grad school; if that were the case, there’d be no reason to go! That being said, given the importance of writing for communicating research findings, students with strong scientific writing skills and familiarity with APA style tend to be more competitive applicants to my lab. In addition, successful applicants tend to have strong academic preparation in psychology courses. Coursework in areas directly relevant to the lab’s research (e.g., social psychology, psychology of gender, psychology of race/racism, human sexuality, research methods, statistics, etc.) is particularly beneficial, though not required. Because my research is interdisciplinary, I also consider performance in coursework in relevant fields (e.g., gender & women’s studies, communication studies, African American studies, etc.).
- Other: Other beneficial qualities that I look for in prospective graduate students include: intellectual curiosity and passion for research; a strong work ethic; perseverance; meticulous attention to detail; receptiveness to constructive feedback; the ability to follow directions and troubleshoot independently; a commitment to treating fellow lab members with respect, kindness, and professionalism; the ability to work collaboratively in groups; strong critical thinking skills; reliability; and good time management skills.
Other Information for Prospective Applicants: All the research conducted in our lab aims to contribute to social justice in some way. We are deeply committed to producing research that contributes to reducing inequality and bettering the lives of marginalized groups. In your application materials, highlighting your commitment to these issues and demonstrating your ability to engage with them can be beneficial, though not required. Additionally, one aspect of our lab’s mission is to train individuals from all backgrounds to ethically conduct research on marginalized groups. Some lab members have more experience engaging in psychological research on Black women or other marginalized groups than others. You do not need to have personal experience with our research topics to meaningfully contribute. What’s most important is that all lab members continually and critically reflect on how their perspectives and experiences shape our work.