Welcome to the Diversity and Intergroup Relations Lab

Our lab investigates interactions and relationships between people from diverse groups. What makes our initial encounters, partnerships, and friendships with individuals from different cultural backgrounds stagnate or succeed? What steps can individuals (and institutions) take to build or repair trust in intergroup interactions? How can we maintain interpersonal trust when facing intercultural conflicts?

We take a social psychological approach to understanding the interpersonal dynamics of intergroup interactions and relationships. We attempt to clarify how both situational and individual factors interact in ways that enable people to connect and bridge cultural divides. Our work addresses questions related to impression management, nonverbal behaviour, affect, depletion, cooperation, and trust.

Treaties Recognition

The Diversity and Intergroup Relations Lab acknowledges that we live and work on the traditional territory of ‎the Attawandaron, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land promised to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. To date, only 5% of the promised land of the Haldimand Tract is available to the Six Nations of the Grand River. We recognize our role in ongoing colonialism through living on this promised land and commit to working toward reconciliation, justice, and trust in intergroup relations.