Linda R. Tropp

Linda R. Tropp is Professor of Social Psychology in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with a Faculty Associate role in Public Policy. She leads the Intergroup Relations and Social Justice Lab and is deeply involved in public engagement initiatives, including the Public Engagement Project. Her work bridges academic research and real-world applications to improve intergroup relations and advance social justice.

Her research focuses on how group membership, status differences, and intergroup contact shape perceptions, attitudes, and social dynamics. She investigates psychological mechanisms that promote positive intergroup relations, reduce prejudice, and support equity across racial, ethnic, political, and religious divides. Her work spans laboratory and field settings, using surveys, experiments, and meta-analyses.

The recent articles highlight her focus on translating research into practice through public engagement, policy applications, and program development. Themes include contact theory, social mixing, democratic renewal, and the relational model of research usability. Her work increasingly emphasizes collaboration with civil society, NGOs, and policymakers to address pressing social issues globally.

• Fellow of the American Psychological Association
• Fellow of the Society of Experimental Social Psychology
• Distinguished Research Award from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
• Distinguished Teaching Award from the International Society of Political Psychology

Linda Tropp advises graduate students and trains scholars in public engagement. She has collaborated with national organizations on racial integration cases and with international NGOs on conflict reduction programs. She has directed and co-directed the Public Engagement Project since 2007, supporting faculty in outreach and policy impact.

She leads the Intergroup Relations and Social Justice Lab, which conducts rigorous research and develops practical tools such as toolkits and guides for practitioners. The lab partners with Beyond Conflict, the International Organization for Migration, the American Immigration Council, and Welcoming America to design, implement, and evaluate interventions that bridge group divides.