SSI-VR
The Stereotyping and Social Interactions Virtual Reality Lab
Our lab examines three distinct but interrelated issues: how people 1) engage in interracial interactions, 2) experience and perceive race and gender in academic and workplace contexts and in racialized physical spaces, and 3) learn about and engage in social justice action. Across these areas, we examine virtual reality (VR) as a tool to reduce bias and systemic racism in individuals, interracial interactions, and institutions.
Stereotypes in Interracial Interactions
Race Relations in
Virtual Reality
Social Identity and
Stereotype Threat
Social Justice Education
& Collective Action
February 2026 — Graduate student, Sandra Manfreda, leads the publication of new research entitled "Racially Minoritized Individuals’ Responses to Identity-Safety and -Threat Relational Cues in Imagined Interactions With White Strangers, Friends, and Allies" at Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, with former Drs. Caitlyn Yantis and Valerie Jones Taylor. We congratulate Sandi on her first publication and look forward to more to come!
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December 2025 — Drs. Tugba Mentiyurt, Chelsea Allen, and Valerie Jones Taylor publish a new work, "New Tools, Old Biases: The Harm and Potential of Virtual Reality Technology and Policy Recommendations for Black Women," in the journal Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, highlighting Black women's and other multiply marginalized groups' use of emerging technologies.
February 2026 — Graduate student, Sandra Manfreda, gives her first SPSP talk in a symposium she organized with another RU graduate student, Tory Benson, on identity safety cues. In poster sessions, Tugba Mentiyurt shares results from recent work on CBT approaches to understanding interracial interaction challenges, Tamara Franklin shares research on factors influencing White people's engagement in racial justice action, and Brianna Clark shares findings on White women's responses to witnessing ingroup members' behaviors in interracial interactions. Dr. Taylor gives several talks on interracial interactions in virtual reality at the GPIR pre-conference and during the main conference session.
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Sandra Manfreda, M.S., successfully defends her Master's Thesis!
October 2025 — Congratulations to our team member, Sandra Manfreda, M.S., who successfully defended her Master’s Thesis this month! Her work, entitled “The Color of Friendship: Examining Barriers and Bridges of Disclosure and Responsiveness in Cross-race Friendship,” highlights the asymmetry in disclosure outcomes for cross-race friends and avenues for strengthening interracial friendships. We look forward to seeing this work unfold in the months to come!
The SSI-VR lab welcome new post-doc, Dr. Chelsea Allen to Rutgers!
Sept 2025 — Dr. Chelsea Allen joins the SSI-VR lab from Columbia University. Her work centers on examining and developing emerging technology applications (i.e., social media platforms, virtual reality (VR)) to support culturally congruent mental health interventions for Black women. We are excited to welcome her to the SSI-VR family!
The SSI-VR lab welcomes lab managers Sakshi Malaviya & Kayla Jenkins
Summer 2025 — The team is excited to work with Sakshi and Kayla as they transition to the lab manager roles this academic year! Please learn more about them here.