Mahzarin Banaji, newly appointed as the Reuben Post Halleck Professor of Psychology, has earned international attention for her work on unconscious processes in social judgment, particularly implicit forms of prejudice and discrimination.

Banaji's work is at the intersection of cognitive and social psychology. With psychologist Anthony Greenwald, she developed the Implicit Association Test, a tool to measure people's unconscious prejudice. In 1998, the two activated a website that allows people to test their unconscious prejudice and stereotyping. The site includes tests measuring unconscious racial, age and gender bias. Banaji also teamed with New York University neuroscientist Dr. Elizabeth A. Phelps to study how perceptions of race activate a section of the brain called the amygdala.

In addition to her work on prejudice and unconscious cognition, Banaji is also interested in such areas as memory, social cognition, social neuroscience, the ethical and legal implications of implicit attitudes and beliefs, and consciousness. She has authored or coauthored more than 100 articles or papers for scientific journals and other publications.

Banaji is a graduate of Nizam College in Hyderabad, India, and earned her M.A. in psychology from Osmania University in Hyderabad. She earned a second M.A. and a Ph.D. in psychology from Ohio State University. She was an instructor at the latter school and at the University of Washington before joining the Yale faculty in 1985 as an assistant professor. She was appointed a full professor in 1997. In 1997, she was a visiting scholar for a semester at Harvard University.

At Yale, Banaji served as director of undergraduate studies for the Women's Studies Program and director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Psychology. She has been a member of numerous University committees. She is a fellow of Davenport College.

The Yale psychologist is the recipient of the 2000 Gordon Allport Intergroup Relations Prize and the 1997 James McKeen Cattell Fund Award, and was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1997. In 1991, she was honored with the Lex Hixon '63 Prize for Teaching Excellence at Yale College.

Currently a coeditor of the series "Essays in Social Psychology," Banaji serves on the editorial boards of numerous scientific journals.

Banaji is a fellow of the American Psychological Society and the American Psychological Association, and is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, among other organizations.

T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S

Yale Celebrates 300th Commencement

Festival to feature everything from opera to aerial dancers

Alumni returning to campus for reunion weekends

ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPS

• Mahzarin Banaji appointed to Halleck chair
  
  
• Seyla Benhabib appointed to Meyer chair
  
  
• Peter Salovey appointed to Argyris chair
  
  
• Steven B. Smith appointed to Cowles chair
  

  
  

Exhibit recalls Snowdon's 'irreverent' photographic visions

British Art Center hosting talks, trips, music during International Festival

International Festival of Arts and Ideas: Events on Campus

International Festival of Arts and Ideas: Tours

MEDICAL SCHOOL NEWS

• Grant to boost medical students' knowledge of elder care
  
  
• Monitors usefulness in preventing SIDS questioned
  
  
• Study suggests revising guidelines for seniors' weight
  
  
• Depression's power to lower work productivity revealed
  
  

Outreach program bringing seniors to the Peabody

Campus Notes

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