Colin Wayne Leach

Institution University of Connecticut Current Position Associate Professor Highest Degree Ph.D. in Social Psychology from University of Michigan, 1995 Research Interests Emotion Ethics/Morality Group Processes Intergroup Relations Political Psychology Prejudice/Stereotyping Research Methods/Assessment Self/Identity Courses Taught Emotion in Social Relations Introduction to Social Psychology Prejudice and Social Relations Psychology of the Oppressed The Experimental Method   Colin Wayne Leach Department of Psychology University of Connecticut Unit 1020 Storrs, Connecticut 06269 U.S.A. Home Page Phone: [001] 860-486-6260 I am interested in status, morality, and emotion in social and political relations. My research examines these issues at both the individual and the group level and across socio-political contexts (e.g., throughout the U.S., Europe, Russia, and Australia). I also have a keen interest in (multiple) methods and meta-theory. In one recent line of work, colleagues and I examine schadenfreude -- feeling satisfied at another party's misfortune -- toward individuals and toward out-groups. We have been especially interested in envy, 'pain of inferiority' (i.e., shame, humiliation, frustration), and perceived illegitimacy as explanations of schadenfreude (Leach, 2008; Leach, Spears, et al., 2003; Leach & Spears, 2008). In another line of work, we have examined the specific components of individuals' identification with in-groups (Leach, van Zomeren, et al., 2008) and their role in perceptions of in-group morality (Leach, Ellemers, & Barreto, 2007). The perceived (im)morality of the self plays an important role in feelings such as pride (Harth, Kessler, & Leach, 2008; Leach, Ellemers, & Barreto, 2007) as well guilt, shame, and anger (Leach, Iyer, & Pedersen, 2006). Books: Gabbaccia, D. R., & Leach, C. W. (Eds.). (2003). Immigrant life in the U.S.: Multi-disciplinary perspectives. London: Routledge. Tiedens, L. Z., & Leach, C. W. (Eds.). (2004). The social life of emotions. New York: Cambridge University Press. Journal Articles: Ellemers, N., Pagliaro. S., Barreto, M. & Leach, C.W. (2008). Is it better to be moral than smart? The effects of morality and competence norms on the decision to work at group status improvement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 1397-1410. Harth, N.S., Kessler, T., & Leach, C.W. (2008) Advantaged groups emotional reactions to inter-group inequality: The dynamics of pride, guilt, and sympathy. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34, 115-129 Iyer, A. & Leach, C.W. (2008). Emotion in inter-group relations. European Review of Social Psychology, 19, 86-125. Iyer, A., Leach, C.W., & Crosby, F. (2003). White guilt and racial compensation: The benefits and limits of self-focus. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 117-129. Leach, C.W., Ellemers, N., & Barreto, M. (2007). Group virtue: The importance of morality (vs. competence and sociability) in the positive evaluation of in-groups. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93, 234-249. Leach, C.W., Iyer, A. & Pedersen, A. (2007). Angry opposition to government redress: When the structurally advantaged perceive themselves as relatively deprived. British Journal of Social Psychology, 46, 191-204. Leach, C. W., Iyer, A., & Pedersen, A. (2006). Anger and guilt about in-group advantage explain the willingness for political action. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 1232-1245. Leach, C.W. & Minescu, A., Poppe, E., & Hagendoorn, L. (2008). Generality and specificity in stereotypes of out-group power and benevolence: Views of Chechens and Jews in the Russian Federation. European Journal of Social Psychology, 38, 1165-1174. Leach, C. W., & Smith, H. J. (2006). By whose standard? The affective implications of ethnic minorities comparisons to ethnic minority and majority referents. European Journal of Social Psychology, 36, 747-760. Leach, C.W. & Spears, R. (2008). “A vengefulness of the impotent”: The pain of in-group inferiority and schadenfreude toward successful out-groups. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 1383-1396. Leach, C. W., Spears, R., Branscombe, N., & Doosje, B. (2003). Malicious pleasure: Schadenfreude at the suffering of another group. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 932–943. Leach, C.W., van Zomeren, M., Zebel, S., Vliek, M., Pennekamp, S.F., Doosje, B. Ouwerkerk, J.P., and Spears, R. (2008). Group-level self-definition and self-investment: A hierarchical (multi-component) model of in-group Identification. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 144-165. van Zomeren, M., Spears, R., Fischer, A., & Leach, C. W. (2004). Put your money where your mouth is! Explaining collective action tendencies through group-based anger and group efficacy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87, 649-664.

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