Northwestern University
Significant advances in psychological science have shed insight on how to best support the achievement and well-being of students from a diverse range of backgrounds. This talk covers research on specific factors shaping the experiences and outcomes of students from marginalized communities. Recent studies provide evidence regarding the effects of strengths-based messages about students’ identities. A series of experiments demonstrate the importance of strengths-based messages and teaching practices, in addition to various levels of social and institutional forces surrounding students.
Social psychologist Mesmin Destin studies how socioeconomic circumstances influence individual thoughts, identities, and behaviors. Building upon theories of identity and motivation, his research investigates social and psychological factors that contribute to disparities in educational outcomes from middle school through early adulthood. He employs a combination of secondary data analysis, laboratory experiments, and field experiments to uncover effective strategies and supports that guide young people’s perceptions of self, society, and opportunities as they navigate inequality and pursue goals.
Destin’s research has been funded by organizations including the National Science Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, and the William T. Grant Foundation. He contributed to a report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine titled, “The Promise of Adolescence: Realizing Opportunity for All Youth”, and he has received awards including the American Psychological Association Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship Award.