Sarah Gervais Ph.D.

About

Sarah J. Gervais Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in Social and Law Psychology and the director of the Power and Subtle Prejudice Lab at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Her research is funded by the National Science Foundation and has been published in such outlets as Psychological Science, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Analysis of Social Issues and Public Policy, and Psychology of Women Quarterly. Her work has also been featured in media outlets such as Glamour, Marie Claire, Chronicle of Higher Education, and Salon.com. During her free time, she enjoys traveling, photography, and running.

Recent Posts

Daring to Fight Sexual Objectification

We are rarely explicitly told to focus on women’s appearances in our everyday interactions with them (thank goodness we can change the channels on the Joan Rivers of the world), but I wonder how often we unknowingly look at women in this way.

Speak Up or Stay Silent? 5 Reasons to Confront Prejudice

Research shows that most people believe they will stand up to prejudice—questioning the perpetrator, noting the problematic nature of the act, or exclaiming surprise. However, less than half confront when faced with an actual instance of prejudice (Swim & Hyers, 1999). Yet, recent research reveals 5 surprising outcomes of confronting.

My Eyes Are Up Here

Monitoring people's roving eyes with the eye tracker, we found some of the first evidence mapping onto women’s accounts of objectification.

The One Move You Can Make to Overpower Bad Body Image

How are you sitting right now? Are your legs crossed? Are your arms close to your side? Are your shoulders hunched over? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you are much more likely to be a woman than a man.

When Are Appearance Compliments Objectifying Insults?

Who knew that noting that a woman is hot could spark a wildfire of controversy with people wondering whether this was a sexist offense or harmless flattery. This is exactly what happened last week when President Obama remarked to a group of fund-raisers that Kamala Harris, the California attorney general, was the “best looking attorney general in the country.”

Who knew that noting that a woman is hot could spark a wildfire of controversy with people wondering whether this was a sexist offense or harmless flattery. This is exactly what happened last week when President Obama remarked to a group of fund-raisers that Kamala Harris, the California attorney general, was the “best looking attorney general in the country.”

Does Instagram Promote Positive Body Image?

Instagram offers a quiet resistance to the barrage of perfect images that we face each day. Rather than being bombarded with those creations (yes, they are created usually through Photoshop) in popular magazines, television, and web pages that feed our discontent, we can look through our Instagram feed and see images of real people – with beautiful diversity.

Instagram offers a quiet resistance to the barrage of perfect images that we face each day. Rather than being bombarded with those creations (yes, they are created usually through Photoshop) in popular magazines, television, and web pages that feed our discontent, we can look through our Instagram feed and see images of real people – with beautiful diversity.

Irresistible Attraction

Allowing attraction to dictate hiring and firing may not technically represent gender discrimination, but it is still maddening. When it comes to attractiveness and sexuality, there is a gender double standard that almost always results in women on the bottom in the bedroom and in the workplace.

Allowing attraction to dictate hiring and firing may not technically represent gender discrimination, but it is still maddening. When it comes to attractiveness and sexuality, there is a gender double standard that almost always results in women on the bottom in the bedroom and in the workplace.

Why Do Grade Schoolers Want To Be Sexy?

Our girls can be police officers—if they don a tight blue top with a mini-skirt and knee high black boots. Once they thrown on their aviators, grab their handcuffs (only a little innuendo here), and strike a seductive pose, our little girls are ready to trick-or-treat. Or is it turn tricks for treats?

Our girls can be police officers—if they don a tight blue top with a mini-skirt and knee high black boots. Once they thrown on their aviators, grab their handcuffs (only a little innuendo here), and strike a seductive pose, our little girls are ready to trick-or-treat. Or is it turn tricks for treats?

Just Because Paul Ryan Is Hot, Does That Mean He Is Also Objectified?

This interest in the physique of Mr. Ryan has commentators wondering whether he’s being objectified. We already know that women are reduced to their appearance and sexual body parts, but it appears that people may be equal opportunity oglers, objectifying men too.

This interest in the physique of Mr. Ryan has commentators wondering whether he’s being objectified. We already know that women are reduced to their appearance and sexual body parts, but it appears that people may be equal opportunity oglers, objectifying men too.

Girls Kissing Girls

Have you ever hooked up with a girl at a party? In a recent study, a full one-third of straight college women answered “yes” to this question.

Have you ever hooked up with a girl at a party? In a recent study, a full one-third of straight college women answered “yes” to this question.