Patricia Devine

Dr. Patricia Devine, the Kenneth and Mamie Clark Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, has made profound and enduring contributions to the social psychology of prejudice and intergroup relations. Her pathbreaking work on the sociocognitive and motivational bases of prejudice has shaped the field for over 30 years.

Born and raised in upstate New York, Trish—as she is known to friends and colleagues—completed her PhD in Social Psychology at the Ohio State University, where she was mentored by Tom Ostrom (her advisor), Tony Greenwald, and Tim Brock. She then accepted an Assistant Professor position at UW–Madison, which has been her academic home ever since.

Trish's landmark 1989 article in JPSP, based on her dissertation, was revolutionary, transforming the field's views on both prejudice and social cognition more broadly. At the time, social psychologists puzzled over the fact that people with explicit egalitarian beliefs nevertheless often expressed racial stereotypes. Trish's seminal insight was that personal prejudice and stereotype knowledge were independent, such that while all members of a culture know the prevailing stereotype of a group, they differ in their degree of prejudice toward the group. Moreover, because stereotype knowledge may be activated automatically, stereotypes are expressed unless they are controlled on the basis of one's personal beliefs. Thus, her Dissociation Model provided an explanation for why egalitarians may, under certain conditions, express racial stereotypes. In addition to solving this theoretical puzzle, her work introduced the concept of automatic stereotyping (which later expanded into implicit bias) and inspired new approaches to prejudice reduction that seek to modify automatic associations or enhance control.

While Trish's discovery of automatic stereotyping captured the field's attention and galvanized interest in implicit bias, her focus remained on the controlled component and its implications for prejudice reduction. Since then, she and her many student collaborators developed theoretical frameworks to explain belief-behavior discrepancies and their implications for affect and biased responding (e.g., Devine et al., 1991; Monteith et al., 1993), internal and external motivations to respond without prejudice (Plant & Devine, 1998) and their implications for implicit bias (Devine et al., 2002) and self-regulation (Plant & Devine, 2009), and the interplay of automatic and controlled processes in the brain and behavior (e.g., Amodio et al., 2003, 2004).

More recently, Trish has developed an unusually rigorous and innovative approach to prejudice reduction, designing and testing immersive longitudinal interventions conducted in the style of clinical trials (Carnes et al., 2015; Devine et al., 2012, 2017; Forscher et al., 2017) and working with local and federal agencies, including the US Congress, to translate her findings to real-world applications.

Trish is a beloved mentor and gifted (and award-winning) teacher. Her former advisees fondly recall her spending hours with us—discussing ideas, planning studies, pouring over results, and giving endless support—for which we're eternally grateful. It's not hard to see her influences—her multilevel questions, dynamic theorizing, creative methodology, and commitment to social justice—in the contributions of those who have worked with her.

In addition to her outstanding contributions as a scientist, scholar, and mentor, Trish is among a generation of female social psychologists who broke significant barriers in the course of their careers. Trish was the first woman to serve as Chief Editor at JPSP:ASC, from 2000 to 2005, and at Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (2009-2012). She was also highly regarded for her visionary leadership as Department Chair from 2009 to 2014, as the Social Psychology area chair for multiple terms, and as President of SPSP from 2011 to 2013. For her scientific contributions, Trish has received the field's most prestigious awards, including the APA Distinguished Early Career Contribution Award, the SESP Scientific Impact Award, and the SPSP Career Contribution Award.

For all of these reasons—her transformational scientific contributions, her mentorship and teaching, and her trail-blazing as a woman in science—we are proud to see Trish recognized on the SPSP Heritage Wall.

Tributes

Not only was Trish Devine my PhD advisor; she’s a major reason I chose to pursue social psychology. As a college senior in the mid-90s, I was enthralled by the latest work on stereotyping, automaticity, impression formation, and social categorization. But Trish’s 1989 paper was different; though it addressed social-cognitive mechanisms like the others, it did so while addressing bigger questions about prejudice, inner conflict, and the societal-individual interface. It had soul and purpose. For a kid fascinated by basic science but committed to social justice, it clicked. This was what I wanted to do! And it wasn’t just me: Trish inspired a generation, and her paradigm-shifting approach—connecting basic mechanism to high-level social issues—is now practically the norm. 

When I arrived at UW-Madison, Trish was so popular that I had to wait a year before joining her lab. She had six (seven?) PhD students, each with their own team of RAs, and her lab meeting was an event. An older student once called it the “The Trish Devine Show,” admiringly, because Trish was so captivating and charismatic. If you’ve seen her speak, you know what I mean: she has this way of weaving together big, thought-provoking questions with classic scholarship and intricate theory into a gripping, eloquent narrative—effortlessly, it seems, and often extemporaneously. Always brilliant. She had us hanging on every word. Lab parties in the early days were legendary too—we’d commandeer her 5-disc changer (1990s!), raid her liquor cabinet, and dance into the night. Back in the lab, we were busy exploring motivations to respond without prejudice at all levels of analysis. Halcyon days for me, and an exciting time to be part of Trish’s team. 

Trish: I’m so proud to have been your student, and I remain in awe of the things you do. I’m forever grateful for your support—you believed in me and pushed me to get better, inspiring me with your brilliance, wisdom, and passion. I’m still learning from you—always will be, I’m sure. Congrats on this eminently deserved honor!

• – David Amodio

Congratulations, Trish, on your induction to the SPSP Heritage Wall, or as I like to think of it, our field's Hall of Fame. I am grateful to have known you as a mentor and a friend beginning in my graduate school days and continuing into my early (and now mid-) career years. Even though I was not one of your former students, you offered me valuable advice and encouragement as I navigated the tenure track. Your pioneering work on the automatic and controlled components of prejudice has fundamentally shaped the field's thinking on how best to address prejudice as a social problem. Your work ignites the possibility of social change by demonstrating that people can develop strategies to "break the prejudice habit". This framework is both revolutionary and inspirational; it is the cornerstone of the message I aim to convey to students in my teaching about prejudice. Thank you for your many distinguished contributions to social psychology, and for the generosity of your mentorship to so many.

• – Angela Bahns

Trish Devine is a role model, mentor, and dear friend. From her groundbreaking dissertation research to her current intervention work on breaking the prejudice habit, Trish has provided a model of thoughtful, creative, and impactful scholarship. Her generosity in all things—training of graduate students, service to the field in the form of journal editorships, and difficult leadership roles—has benefited so many. Working with her as an Associate Editor at JPSP in the early 2000s was an amazing learning opportunity for me; Trish modeled open-mindedness, fairness, rigor, and kindness in the editorial process; she taught me to both trust my judgment and recognize when I might be wrong. Since then, she has remained an unerring source of support, advice, and inspiration for me and my students. Trish is an excellent scientist and a remarkable human being, so deserving of being honored on the SPSP Heritage Wall.  

• – Monica Biernat

Trish Devine has been a trailblazing scholar of prejudice, right from the very start of her career.  The passion and energy that she brings to her scholarship are legendary.  Her contributions have provided indispensable insights into the nature of prejudice and the prospects for its reduction.  And she deserves a medal for her outstanding, super-conscientious service as Associate Editor and then Editor in Chief of JPSP:ASC!  I am so pleased to have this opportunity to express my gratitude and admiration.

• – Galen V Bodenhausen

During the first years of graduate school, I felt like it would be impossible to learn everything I needed to be a teacher, researcher, and mentor. There is so much to learn, so many skills to master - how could I ever learn them all? Now in my last years of graduate school, I realize Trish has taught me every skill I needed to learn in both subtle and more obvious ways throughout my training. I learned more from her than I ever thought was possible. My ability to think critically has improved drastically by watching her conduct research and her years of mentorship. I am deeply grateful that I was able to learn from not only an exceptional scholar and researcher but also a compassionate mentor. I always knew I had someone in my corner to help me. I am forever grateful for having Trish as my advisor and appreciative of all of her insights, work, and support during my training. Thank you, Trish — for your contributions to the study of prejudice and your extraordinary mentorship.

• – Megan Bruun

Trish Devine's 1989 JPSP article, reporting her dissertation research, became an instant classic. It introduced a totally new and intriguing theoretical analysis of the role of automatic and controlled processes underlying the formation and use of stereotypes and prejudice. It also laid the conceptual groundwork for new strategies to overcome prejudicial responding, what she called "breaking the prejudice habit." Like any innovative new conception, it stimulated a great deal of conversation and experimental research. It was also controversial. People raised questions about some assumptions in the model, they challenged some aspects of the methods used, and they wondered about its validity. Some of my bright graduate students were very good at finding one or another little problem. Fine, they're learning how to think critically. But my response to them was, "When you do a dissertation that introduces a new and original conceptual framework that sparks widespread interest and stimulates as much new research as Trish's dissertation, let me know."

The 1989 article was not a flash in the pan. Throughout her career, Trish has effectively pursued these questions and their ramifications. She has accumulated an impressive publication record, she has held leadership positions in professional societies, and she is a dynamic public speaker who is very effective in conveying her ideas and her research findings to a broad audience of eager listeners. In sum, Trish Devine has been a role model for many.

• – Dave Hamilton

When I was an assistant professor, I gave a talk at UW-Madison and was so nervous to be speaking in front of the great Trish Devine. Afterward, she called me into her office, and I was scared to death she was going to criticize my talk. Instead, she invited me to apply for their position - it was literally one of the happiest moments of my early professional career. It was illogical that several months later, I turned down their offer. To have almost been Trish's desired colleague is an honor I will keep for my life. Trish Devine is one of our field's greats – a great researcher, a great role model, and also just a classy, wonderful human being who has inspired me throughout my career.

• – Mikki Hebl

Trish has long been a north star who has offered me important insights into topics ranging from scholarly work, to maintaining one's sanity while serving as department chair, and to selecting a good red wine. Her straightforward advice is delivered with humor and compassion, and her optimism is contagious. I have long admired Trish's ability to demonstrate that you can be a serious scholar and leader without taking yourself too seriously. Congratulations on this recognition, Trish!

• – Cheryl R. Kaiser

I first met Trish when she turned up in my Intro to Human Behavior class at SUNY-Plattsburgh in 1977. It was a large class, and she sat right down front. She frequently asked insightful questions, often those that required the next lecture for a response. I asked her to join a tutoring group that helped students in the class who were not doing well with the writing assignment. She managed it with subtlety, smoothly, and insightfully. I asked her to join me in research on eyewitness identification, and we did a series of studies involving staged crimes and lineup instruction manipulations. This work could not have been done without her desire for theoretical clarity and insight, and focus on the details of study implementation. The resulting papers would not have been as clear in presentation without her.  She earned her authorship and our collaboration extended to 6 papers/chapters, some published before her graduation. Together we presented papers at international conferences and invited talks in Canada, England, The Netherlands, and the U.S. In the Netherlands, they never figured out that the person who was presenting her research to them and responding to their questions was an American undergrad. Quite a trick! I knew her grad school experience would provide me with new knowledge, and she called her old undergrad prof. and co-author a number of times to address traditional social psych questions on which we differed - until she explained the issues to me. The trajectory of her career and her insightful work were no surprise. Our 3-year collaboration was the most intense and rewarding time of my 50 years in academia.

• – Roy Malpass

I felt tremendously fortunate to have Trish as a colleague and mentor during the first 14 years of my professional career.  Conversations with Trish were always inspiring and empowering.  Her brilliant and encouraging advice pushed me to think big and move forward.  When I sought her guidance over my career trajectory, Trish assured me, "There is no wrong choice because whatever path you make, I know that you will shape it into the best one."  (I am striving to validate Trish's wisdom!)  Moreover, Trish transformed my view of leadership.  She showed me how being a visionary, dedicated, and fair leader is a powerful way to serve others and society.  I am forever grateful for your brilliance, guidance, and leadership, Trish!

• – Yuri Miyamoto

Trish and I met when I showed up at the University of Wisconsin Psychology Department as a very naïve incoming graduate student. I was wandering the hall to find someone who could answer some questions. Trish had just returned from a run. She asked if she could help me with something. After I figured out who she was (running gear and very youthful appearance initially leading me astray!), I asked about my most pressing concern:  How would I support myself during graduate school? Should I get a job, maybe at a restaurant? Trish explained that I would be on a Research Assistantship. I asked what that was. Then Trish realized I *really* needed guidance, we headed to her office, and the beginning of her decades-long mentorship (and friendship) began. I would not have lasted a month in graduate school without Trish's support, and I have her to thank for making an academic career possible for me.

Though the details of our personal narratives differ, Trish has been an amazing mentor for so many graduate and undergraduate students. She has had an invaluable impact through her consistent encouragement, advice, support, active listening, empathy, and empowerment. On the research front, students working with Trish get to observe her passion for research, her incredible ability to identify just what research questions should be asked, her creative process of turning questions into testable hypotheses, and her consistent goal of making theoretical advances. With her example and encouragement, students get hooked on research and come to believe that they too may be able to do this research thing well.

I have focused on Trish's mentoring, but she has been influential in the field in so many other ways as well. Her scientific contributions have been groundbreaking – for instance, by revealing new ways of understanding contemporary biases, and how they may be challenged and changed. Trish gives back and leads people forward through her incredible service and leadership, such as serving as Editor of JPSP: Attitudes and Social Cognition and Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, President of SPSP, Department Chair, and more. Thank you, Trish, for your generosity, mentorship, friendship, leadership, and scientific advances!

• – Margo Monteith

Trish's passion for psychological research is palpable and motivates everyone who is lucky enough to be touched by it. From the undergraduate students in her classes, the graduate students in her lab, and the many others who read her work or get to hear her talk about it, Trish's ideas have reached so many people. However, her expertise at sharing ideas and stimulating excitement would not matter so much if she weren't also sharing incredibly important and groundbreaking ideas. I was so exceptionally lucky to learn from Trish. As my mentor, she helped me in more ways than I can ever say. She taught me so much about what it is to be a psychological researcher. During my time as her student, I was consistently amazed by the depth of her thinking and her boundless enthusiasm to pursue psychology.  That sense of awe remains. Working with Trish is always exciting and productive, but most especially a whole lot of fun! Congratulations, Trish, on a well-deserved honor!

• – Ashby Plant

Trish's impact in the field is undeniable. Her research on the automatic and controlled processes in prejudice, on the motivations to respond without prejudice, and on the regulation of prejudice has led to theoretical advancements in our understanding of intergroup biases. In later work, she has applied her deep theoretical perspective to create actual social change in the reduction of prejudice.

Beyond her contributions to the field, Trish contributed tremendously to my own development. She pushed me to deeply understand foundational research in my field, to ground my research in previous literature, to design theoretically rich yet methodologically tight studies, and to tell a story in my presentations and in written work.

Finally, Trish taught me what it means to be a fantastic mentor. Trish has unwaveringly high expectations, but she always believed we could meet them. Sometimes in lab meetings, we would work on study designs and the graduate students would all laugh afterwards about how Trish thought we could possibly pull off the study. And yet Trish always provided support, guidance, and resources and we often made the impossible happen.

Trish is generous with her time and her resources, she believes in her students and follows their passions, and she is a rock through thick and thin. She is someone I would call when I need career advice and someone who I know would be there through any personal tribulation. I am immensely grateful to have Trish in my corner and to have learned so much of what I know from her.

• – Katharine Scott

When students ask me why I became a social psychologist, I tell them it was because of Trish Devine. I joined her lab during my sophomore year of undergrad, and 21 years later the impact of Trish's mentorship, research, and friendship is ever-present. Her enthusiasm for social psychology is beyond compare; she cares deeply about understanding and reducing prejudice, her research is innovative and groundbreaking, and she allows early career scholars to believe that they can too, be outstanding researchers. I have learned to be a better methodologist, scholar, teacher, and mentor from Trish. I ask the big and important questions because Trish allowed me to believe that I could make a difference and that the work we do matters. She taught me the friendships, collaborations, and work we build in this field are important. Thank you, Trish, our relationship is one of my most cherished.

• – Amanda Sesko