Rupert Nacoste
For most of my career I have been known for my research on the social psychology of affirmative action. In that work, I discovered that a person’s evaluations and reactions to affirmative action were mostly determined by the procedures used to bring affirmative action to life. My research showed that procedures of affirmative action have a determinative influence on the perceived fairness of the policy, evaluation apprehension of beneficiaries, perceptions of organizations, and a host of other social psychological outcomes.
With that established, I have moved on to some other interests. For two years, I was in university administration, serving as the Vice Provost for Diversity and African American Affairs. It was a turbulent two years, which I reflect on in my "Making Gumbo" memoir (Nacoste, 2010).
Trained by John W. Thibaut, I have always worked out of Harold Kelley & John Thibaut’s theory of interpersonal-interdependence. Recently, in that context I have developed a model of neo-diversity; the dynamic tension-system in modern interpersonal-intergroup interactions (Nacoste, 2006). Nowadays, most of my time is spent translating these ideas for the non-specialist in my undergraduate classes and in my writings. For example, I have used the ideas that I teach to comment on the now well known-to-be-wrong claim that we live in a post-racial America (Nacoste, 2009).
For more information on my activities, please visit:
http://www.makinggumbo.com/
Primary Interests:
- Applied Social Psychology
- Close Relationships
- Intergroup Relations
- Interpersonal Processes
- Law and Public Policy
- Person Perception
- Prejudice and Stereotyping
Books:
- Nacoste, R.W. (2010). Making Gumbo in the University. Austin, TX: Plainview Press
Journal Articles:
- Nacoste, R.W. (2009). Post-Racial?: Something Even More Bizarre and Inexplicable. Making Connections: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Cultural Diversity, 11, 1-9.
- Nacoste, R. W. (2006). What rough beast: Intergroup tensions in the age of neo-diversity. Forum on Public Policy, 2(3), 556-569.
- Nacoste, R. W. (1996). Social psychology and the affirmative action debate. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 15, 261-282.
- Nacoste, R. W. (1994). If empowerment is the goal...: Affirmative action and social interaction. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 15, 87-112.
- Nacoste, R. W., & Hummels, D. (1994). Affirmative action and the behavior of decisionmakers. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 24, 595-613.
Other Publications:
- Nacoste, R. (April 7, 1995). The truth about affirmative action. Chronicle of Higher Education, p. A48.
- Nacoste, R. W. (2006). Why and how the psychology of affirmative action matters. In B. P. Corrie and S. Myers (Eds.), Remedies to Racial and Ethnic Inequality: An International Perspective (pp. 47-57). New York: Peter Lang.
Courses Taught:
- Interpersonal Relationships and Race
- Introduction to Psychology
- Introduction to Social Psychology
Rupert Nacoste
Department of Psychology
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7801
United States of America
- Phone: (919) 515-1732
- Fax: (919) 515-1716