Cynthia Willis-Esqueda
Office: 336 Burnett Hall
(402)472-3740
cwillis-esqueda1@unl.edu

Dr. Willis joined the Department of Psychology and the Ethnic Studies Institute (Native American Studies Program) in 1991. She received her Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Kansas. Dr. Willis Esqueda is currently interested in social cognition and inter-group conflict, with a major interest in the process of social categorization, stereotyping, and discrimination. Her research projects examine how racial stereotypes can influence cognitive processing of social information and the interpretation of social behavior. For example, Dr. Willis Esqueda has examined how racial and ethnic bias influence culpability assignments in the legal system. Dr. Willis Esqueda teaches a graduate proseminar in social psychology that provides an overview of the theoretical foundations of social psychology, as well as current research issues in the field. Psychology of racism is taught by Dr. Willis Esqueda as well, with an emphasis on social categorization, psychological ramifications of ethnicity, and prejudice and discrimination.

Representative Publications:

Tomkins, A., Slain, A. J., Hallinan, M., & Willis, C. E. (1996). Subtle discrimination in juvenile justice decision making. Creighton Law Review, 29, 1619-1651.

Harrison, L., Willis Esqueda, C. (1997). Myths and stereotypes of actors involved in domestic violence: Implications for domestic violence culpability attributions. In press in Aggression and Violent Behavior: A Review Journal.

Willis Esqueda, C. (1997). European American students' perceptions of crime committed by five racial groups. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 27, 1406-1411.

Willis Esqueda, C., & Swanson, K. (1997). The effects of stereotypical crime and alcohol use on criminal culpability attributions for Native Americans and European Americans. American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 21, 229-254.