Research

My current research and published work span American politics, political psychology, public opinion and political communication. I am particularly interested in how people resolve tension between their political orientations and their social identities and personal experiences when engaging in politics. 

Current Projects

Engaging Imperfect Partisans.Partisanship has a tremendous influence on political preferences and behavior in American politics. However, people are not perfect partisans. Most partisans disagree with their party on at least one issue or have a social identity that is more typically associated with the opposing party. In this project, I study how these conflicts influence political behavior, and potential interventions to help reduce the often aversive nature of political experiences for these individuals to help broaden political participation.

Public Opinion on Health Care. A majority of U.S. adults have had an unexpected health event or report that they have at some point experienced a medical bill they could not afford. In a series of papers, I examine how personal experiences with health care costs influence the attitudes individuals hold toward health reform policy and government involvement in the health care system.