Current Research

Selected Publications

Hogg, M. A. & Gaffney, A. M. (In press). Social identity dynamics in the face of overwhelming uncertainty. In J. P. Forgas, W. D. Crano, & K. Fiedler (Eds.), The psychology of insecurity: Seeking certainty where none can be had. New York: Routledge. Department of Psychology, Claremont Graduate University.

Gaffney, A. M. & Hogg, M. A. (In press). Social identity theory. In M. A. Hogg (Ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Social Psychology. Department of Psychology, Cal Poly Humboldt.

Gaffney, A. M. & McDowell, J. * (In press). Minority influence and social change. In M. A. Hogg (Ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Social Psychology. Department of Psychology, Cal Poly Humboldt.

Gaffney, A. M., Souter, S. S., Jung, J., & Crano, W. D. (In Press). Contexts and conditions of minority influence. Psychology of Language and Communication.

Gaffney, A. M. & Hogg, M. A. (2022). Sociability and the collective: Making, breaking, and shaping group and societies. In J. P. Forgas, K. Fiedler, & W. D. Crano (Eds.), The Psychology of Sociability. Sydney Symposium of Social Psychology (pp 140-163). New York and London: Routlage.

Kuljian*, O. R., Hohman, Z. P., & Gaffney, A. M. (2022). Who Are We If We Do Not Know Who Our Leader Is? Perceptions of Leaders’ Prototypicality Affects Followers’ Self-Prototypicality and Uncertainty. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 19485506221111237.

Haslam, S. A., Gaffney, A. M., Hogg, M. A., Rast, D. E. III, & Steffens, N. K. (2022) Reconciling identity leadership and leader identity: A dual-identity framework. The Leadership Quarterly. doi: 10.1016/j.leaqua.2022.101620

Haslam, S. A. Reicher, S. D., Selvanathan, H. P., Gaffney, A. M., Steffens, N. K., Packer, D., Van Bavel J. J., Ntontis, E., Neville, F., Vestergren, S., Jurstakova, K., & Platow, M. J. (2022, In Press). Examining the role of Donald Trump and his supporters in the 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol: A dual-agency model of identity leadership and engaged followership. The Leadership Quarterly (2022), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2022.101622

Syfers*, L., Rast, D. E. III., & Gaffney, A. M. (2021). Leading change by protecting group identity in the 2019 Canadian General Election. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy. https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12255

Syfers*, L., Gaffney, A. M., Rast, D. E. III, & Estrada*, D. A. (2021). Communicating group norms through election results. The British Journal of Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12481

Crano, W. D. & Gaffney, A. M. (2021). Populism in the west as a form of influence. In J. P. Forgas, K. Fiedler, & W. D. Crano (Eds.), The Psychology of Populism: The Tribal Change to Liberal Democracy. Sydney Symposium of Social Psychology (pp. 297-318). London: Psychology Press.

Gaffney, A. M. & La Vogue, N.* (2020). Dogmatism and need for closure. In M. A. Hogg (Ed.), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Social Psychology New York: Oxford University Press.

Gaffney, A. M., Hackett, J. D., Rast, D. E., Hohman, Z. P., and Jaurique*, A. (2018), The State of American Protest: Shared Anger and Populism. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy. doi:10.1111/asap.12145

Gaffney, A. M., Rast, D. E. III, & Hogg, M. A. (2018). Unexpected leadership under uncertainty: A social identity analysis of non-prototypical leader emergence. Journal of Social Issues,74, 20-35. doi: 10.1111/josi.12254

Hackett, J. D., Gaffney, A. M., & Data*, L. (2018). Intergroup anxiety and political loss: The buffering effects of believing in the open Marketplace of Ideas and openness to diverse political discussions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 48(3), 150-164. doi: 10.1111/jasp.12500

Hogg, M. A. & Gaffney, A. M. (2018). Group processes and intergroup relations. In J. T. Wixted (Ed.), The Stevens’ handbook of experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Volume 3: Developmental and social psychology (pp. 1-34). New York: Wiley.

Rast, D. E. III, Gaffney, A. M., & Yang*, L. (2018). The impact of stereotype content on intergroup uncertainty and interactions. Journal of Social Psychology, 158(6), 711-720. doi: 10.1080/00224545.2017.1407285

Gaffney, A. M., & Hogg, M. A. (2017). Social identity and social influence. In S. Harkins, K. D. Williams, & J. Burger (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of social influence (pp. 259-273). New York: Oxford University Press.

Hohman, Z. P., Gaffney, A. M., & Hogg, M. A. (2017). Who am I if I am not like my group? Self-uncertainty and feeling peripheral in a group. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 72, 125-132. doi: 10.1016/j.jesp.2017.05.002

Crwys, T., Gaffney, A. M., & Skipper, Y. (2017). Uncertainty in transition: The influence of group cohesion on learning. In K. Mavor, M. Platow, & Bizumic, B. (Eds.), Self, Social Identity, and Education. New York: Psychology Press.

Gaffney, A. M., Rast, D. E. III, Hacket, J. D., & Hogg, M. A. (2014). Further to the right: Uncertainty, political polarization, and the American Tea Party movement. Social Influence, 9(4), 272-288, doi: 10.1080/15534510.2013.842495

Recent Symposium Conveyor

Gaffney, A. M., Hogg, M. A., Smith, C., & Kirby, K. (Conference Organizers) (2023), February). Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Pre-conference. Pre-conference at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Atlanta, GA.


Gaffney, A. M. & Syfers*, L. (Symposium Conveyors) (2022, July). Making and shaping olarized Identities: An Exploration of the reciprocal relationship between political leaders and partisan groups. Symposium at the annual meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology, Athens, Greece.

Gaffney, A. M., Hogg, M. A., Rast, D. E. III & Smith, C. (Conference Organizers) (2022, February). Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Pre-conference. Pre-conference at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, San Francisco, CA.

Gaffney, A. M., Hogg, M. A., & Rast, D. E. III (Symposium Conveyors) (2021, October). Identity motives and the rationalization of polarization: Research, practice and a call for inclusive leadership. Symposium at the annual meeting of the Society for Experimental Social Psychology, Santa Barbara, CA.

Gaffney, A. M., & Rast, D. E. III, Smith, C., & Hogg, M. A. (Conference Organizers) (2021, February). Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Pre-conference. Pre-conference at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology (online program).

Rast, D. E. III & Gaffney, A. M. (Symposium Conveyer) (2020). Unexpected Leadership, Ramifications for Group Productivity, Diversity, and Deviance. 19th general meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, Kraków, Poland. (cancelled)

Rast, D. E. III, Gaffney, A. M., &, Stefaniak, A. (Conference Organizers) (2020 - Cancelled). Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Pre-conference. 19th general meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, Kraków, Poland. (cancelled)

Gaffney, A. M., & Rast, D. E. III, Smith, C., & Hogg, M. A. (Conference Organizers) (2020, February). Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Pre-conference. Pre-conference at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.

Gaffney, A. M., & Rast, D. E. III, & Hogg, M. A. (Conference Organizers) (2019, January). Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Pre-conference. Pre-conference at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Portland, OR.

Gaffney, A. M., & Rast, D. E. III, & Hogg, M. A. (Symposium Conveyor). (2018, June). Using the Language of Groups to Divide and Unite. Invited symposium at the annual meeting of the Society of Language and Social Psychology, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

Gaffney, A. M., Hohman, Z., P., & Rast, D. E. III (Conference Organizers). (2018, January). Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Pre-conference. Pre-conference at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Atlanta, GA.

Rast, D. E. III, Gaffney, A. M., & Hogg, M. A. (Symposium Conveyor). (2017, July). Intergroup leadership: Bridging the divide. Symposium at the 2017 meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, Granada, Spain.

Gaffney, A. M., Hohman, Z., P., & Hogg, M. A. (Conference Organizers). (2017, January). Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Pre-conference. Pre-conference at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, San Antonio, TX.

Recent Presentations


Gaffney, A. M. & Hogg, M. A. (2022, July). Social identity dynamics in the face of overwhelming uncertainty. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Sydney Symposium on Social Psychology. Visegrad, Hungary.

Gaffney, A. M., Kuljian*, O., Peabody*, P. J., & Hohman, Z. P. (2022, July) From leader to figurehead: Polarizing parties by creating clear political identities. Presentation at the annual meeting of International Society of Political Psychology. Athens, Greece.

Gaffney, A. M., Syfers*, L., & Rast, D. E. III. (2021, October). To the victor belongs the spoils (the ability to fundamentally change political parties. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Santa Barbara, CA.

Gaffney, A. M. (2020, October). Leadership in Polarized Times. Invited talk at the Claremont Graduate University, Social Socials. Claremont, CA.

Gaffney, A. M. & Rast, D. E. III. (2020, June). At the behest of the electorate: Consensus transforms deviant to normative leadership. 19th general meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, Kraków, Poland (cancelled).

Gaffney, A. M. (2020, March). Addressing the political divide: The pursuit and protection of identity. Invited oral presentation for Psych Talks, Humboldt State University. Arcata, CA.

Gaffney, A. M. (2020, February). When the group galvanizes of criticism of their leader: The unintended consequences of criticizing a leader. Invited oral presentation at the 2020 Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Preconference at the annual meeting the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. New Orleans, LA.

Gaffney, A. M., Rast, D. E. III, & Syfers*, L. (2019, June). Transforming group norms through the communication of election information. Oral presentation at the 2019 EASP meeting on Intergroup Communications, Bologna, Italy.

Crano, W. D., Alvaro, E. M, & Gaffney, A. M. (2019, June). Motivated mis-remembering of ingroup and outgroup source information. Oral presentation at the 2019 EASP meeting on Intergroup Communications, Bologna, Italy.

Gaffney, A. M., Rast, D. E. III, & Hogg, M. A. (2018, June). The rise of non-normative and extreme leaders through rhetorical strategies. Invited talk at the 16th International Conference on Language & Social Psychology (ICLASP). Edmonton, Canada.

Gaffney, A. M. (2018, May). Can elections transform insurgent candidates to norm changing leaders? Invited presentation at the 2018 meeting of the British Psychological Society, Nottingham, England.

Gaffney, A. M. (2018, April). Invited discussant. In La Vogue*, N. (Chair), Understanding leadership and identity in political contexts. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR.

Gaffney, A. M. (2018, April). Invited discussant. In Choi, E. & Kuljian*, O. (Chairs), Understanding the self: Interpreting identity through informational sources. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR.


Recent Student Lead Oral and Poster Presentations

Anjewierden*, B. J., Crocker*, J. S., Kuljian*, O., Syfers*, S., Hohman Z. P., Gaffney, A. M. (2023, February). Who Does My Political Party Want Me to Be? Political Party Identification and Uncertainty Reduction. Poster session at the 24th annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), Atlanta, GA.

Conso, C., Souter, S.S., Mcdowell*, J., Syfers*, L., Gaffney, A. M. (2023, February). Harnessing grievance: How leaders’ rhetorical strategies encourage violent extremism. Poster session at the 24th annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), Atlanta, GA.


Ouyang*, Y., Rast, D. E. III, & Gaffney, A. M. (2023, February). Need for a distinct identity: Effects of social identity rhetoric, group entitativity, and group identification on leader effectiveness. Poster session at the 24th annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), Atlanta, GA.

Royer*, Z. G., Griffith*, Z. M., Conso, C., Gaffney, A.M. (2023, February). Soothing identity uncertainty: Identification with entitative parenting groups. Poster session at the 24th annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), Atlanta, GA.

Crocker*, J. S., Wilson*, A., Gaffney, A. M. (2022, August). Examining How Uncertainty Predicts Heterosexual Men's Prejudice Toward Women and Gay Men Poster session presented at the annual conference of the American Psychological Association, Mineappolis, MN.

Wilson,* A., Crocker*, J. S., Gaffney, A. M., Hackett. J.D. (2022, August). Identification

with all of humanity and empathy toward animals. Poster session presented at the annual conference of the American Psychological Association, Mineappolis, MN.

Rosales-Vijil*, E., Royer, Z*., Ashworth, L., Hahn A. C., Gaffney, A. M. (2022, July). Overriding biological defenses through self-categorization: The partisan divide over COVID-19. Poster presented at the annual conference of the International Society for Political Psychology. Athens, Greece.

Burt*, M., Lopez*, A., Kothari*, R., Reynolds*, H., Syfers*, L., Gaffney, A. M. (2022, February). Who’s got your vote? Exploring the use of rhetoric and its impact on uncertain voters. Poster session to be presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Francisco, CA.

Conso*, M. C., McDowell*, J., Ross*, J., Hackett, J.D., & Gaffney, A. M. (2022, February). Black Lives Matter: Leader attitudes, relative deprivation, and political polarization. Poster session at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Francisco, CA.

Frederick*, J. L., Wilson*, A., Pike*, J., Rast, D. E. III, & Gaffney, A. M. (2022, February). Did Republicans or Democrats change their feelings of leader prototypicality or self-uncertainty after the 2020 presidential election? Poster session at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Francisco, CA.

Kuljian*, O. R., Hohman, Z. P., & Gaffney, A. M. (2022, February). Perceptions of Leaders' Prototypicality Affects Self-prototypicality and Uncertainty [Poster presentation]. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations Preconference at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Virtual Annual Meeting.

Ma*, A. C., Rast, D. E. III., & Gaffney, A. M. (2022, February). “Our” values: Effects of leader rhetoric on perceptions of multiculturalism. Poster session at the annual conference for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Francisco, CA.

McDowell*, J., Obiekezie*, C., Martin*, A., Burg*, Z., Conso*, M., Hackett, J. D., & Gaffney, A. M. (2022, February). Self-uncertainty and cultural appropriation. Poster session to be presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Francisco, CA.

Pang*, J. & Gaffney, A. M. (2022, February). Ally or ‘All Lives’? Measuring voter attitudes toward social justice movements before and after the 2020 presidential election. Poster session to be presented at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Francisco, CA.

Ouyang*, Y., Rast, D. E. III, Gaffney, A. M., & Razvan* H. (2022, February). Leadership preferences during uncertain times: The use of social identity rhetoric in international relations. Poster presentation at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. San Francisco, CA.

Souter*, S. S., Gardner*, S. E., Valdovinos*, P. E., & Gaffney, A. M. (2021, July). Identification with conspiracy groups online: The impacts of social isolation, self-uncertainty, and support for Donald Trump. Paper at the annual meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology, Virtual.

Estrada*, D. & Gaffney, A.M. (2021, February). Means to an End: Examining the relationship between need for closure and an extremist government. Poster presentation at the 22nd annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

Griffith*, Z. M., Peabody, J*, Gaffney, A. M., & Hagger, M. S. (2021, February). COVID-19 health anxiety and perceptions of safety in training on campus among coaches and student athletes. Poster presentation at the Health Preconference at the 22nd annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

Peabody*, J., & Gaffney, A. M. (2021, February). Integrating ideological polarization into the social identity model of collective action. Poster presentation at the 22nd annual conference of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology.

Kincaid*, K., Ma*, A., Conso*, M., Estrada*, D., Reynolds*, H., Gaffney, A. M., & Rast, D. E. III (2021, February). That's my autocrat: Does concern for COVID-19 inoculate autocratic ingroup leaders? Poster presentation at the 22nd annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

Ma*, A. C., Rast, D. E. III, & Gaffney, A. M. (2021, February). Uncertainty and Exclusion: Do feelings of identity-related uncertainty lead to greater acceptance of exclusionary leader rhetoric? Poster presentation at the 22nd annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

Souter*, S. S., Gardner*, S. E., Valdovino*s, P. E., & Gaffney, A. M. (2021, February). The Plandemic: How support for Trump and self-uncertainty results in motivation to identify with conspiracy groups online. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Group Processes and Intergroup Relations preconference, Virtual.

Syfers*, L., Rast, D. E. III, & Gaffney, A. M. (2021, February). Leaders as agents of change and agents of continuity in the 2019 Canadian General Election. Poster presentation at the 22nd annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

Xie*, X, Lau-Gesk, L, & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, October). How Can I Help When I Feel Rejected? The Interplay of Social Exclusion, Social Identity, and Prosocial Behavior. Paper presentation at the annual Association for Consumer Research Conference, Paris, France.

Cervantes*, D., Peabody*, J., Fegurgur, E., Perriello*, L. M., & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, June).

Immigration Policy: Americans' Responses to the Separation of Asylum-Seeking Families. Poster session at the annual meeting of the Society for Psychological Study of Social Issues, Denver, CO. (cancelled, online program)

Ma*, A., Rast, D. E. III, & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, June). Redrawing group boundaries: Effects of rhetoric on perceptions of leaders and groups. Oral presentation at the 19th general meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, Kraków, Poland. (cancelled)

Ouyang*, Y., Kincaid*, K. M., Rast, D. E. III, & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, June). Female leadership in times of uncertainty: The role of group identification and perceived leader prototypicality. Blitz talk at the 19th general meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology. Kraków, Poland. (cancelled)

Syfers*, L., Rast, D. E. III, & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, June). Rhetoric promoting identity continuity as a strategy for elevating group support for change. Oral presentation at the 19thgeneral meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, Kraków, Poland. (cancelled)

Reynolds*, H., Fegurgur*, E., Mendez*, R., & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, May). Reflecting on moral shortcomings leads to self-uncertainty and moral downplaying. Poster session at the annual meeting of the Society for Psychological Study of Social Issues, Denver, CO. (cancelled, online program)

Cervantes*, D., Estrada*, D., Perriello*, L. M., Alcaraz*, D., Flynn*, D., & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, May). California, Sanctuary State: Californians' Responses to Federal Opposition to California Policy. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA. (postponed)

Beaulieu*, J., & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, May). Lead me to lose: How leaders, uncertainty, and competition influence weight loss intentions in groups. Oral presentation at the Western Psychological Association Conference in San Francisco, CA. (postponed)

Estrada*, D. & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, May). Uncertainty and support for extremist governments. Oral presentation at the Western Psychological Association Convention, San Francisco, CA. (postponed)

Peabody*, J., & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, May). Will work for belongingness: Prototypicality, uncertainty, threat, and collective action tendencies. Oral presentation at the Western Psychological Association Conference in San Francisco, CA. (postponed)

Reynolds*, H., Fegurgur*, E., Mendez*, R., O'Brien*, S., & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, May). Reflecting on moral shortcomings leads to self-uncertainty and moral downplaying. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA. (postponed)

Souter*, S. S., Gaffney, A. M., Hogg M. A. (2020, May). Are they accepting new members? Group Identification Motivated by Uncertainty Reduction. Oral presentation at Western Psychological Association Convention, San Francisco CA. (postponed)

Byers*, S. M, Skillman*, B. P., & Gaffney, A. M. (2020). Papal support for women under uncertainty: Changing perceptions of women in religious leadership positions in the Roman Catholic Church. Poster session at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, L.A.

Estrada*, D., Neely*, A., Carter*, H., Lopez*, A., Hackett, J. D., & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, February). Follow or Fight: The influence of group norms on leader support and collective action. Poster session at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.

Ma*, A. C., Rast, D. E. III., & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, February). When the group is too extreme: revisiting the relationships between uncertainty and extremism. Poster session at the Bringing Intragroup Processes Back to Social Psychology Pre-conference at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.

Ma*, A. C., Rast, D. E. III, & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, February). Divide and conquer: How highlighting subgroup differences impacts leader support. Poster session at the annual conference of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.

McDowell*, J., Obiekezie*, C., Gaffney, A. M., & Hackett, J. D. (2020, February). Self-uncertainty and cultural appropriation. Poster session at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.

Peabody*, D., Beaulieu*, J., Mendez*, J., Hackett, J. D, & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, February). Relationships between Extreme Ideology, Integrated Threat, and Out-group Evaluations. Poster session at the annual meeting of Society for the Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.

Souter*, S. S., Conso*, M. C., Perriello*, L. M., Griffith*, Z. M., Rast, D. E. III, Gaffney, A. M. (2020, February). Implicit Bias, Conservatism, and Low Support for Black Lives Matter among Republicans. Poster session at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.

Syfers*, L., Rast, D.E. III., & Gaffney, A. M. (2020, February). When drastic change is good: Incoming leaders may benefit from being different. Poster session at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.

Jaurique*, A. & Gaffney, A. M. (2019, June). How threats to masculinity impact derogation of transgender women. Oral presentation at the meeting of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, San Diego, CA.