Psychology Department

Leslie Zorwick, Ph.D.

2024.09.10-LeslieZorwick-8342

Leslie Zorwick, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology

Chair, Department of Psychology

She/Her/Hers zorwick@hendrix.edu Donald W. Reynolds Center 106 501-450-1493 501-450-4547

Academic Background

  • B.A., Emory University, 2000
  • M.A., The Ohio State University, 2003
  • Ph.D., The Ohio State University, 2007

Biography

  • Dr. Leslie Zorwick has a B. A. in Psychology and a B. A. in Philosophy from Emory University and a M.A. and a Ph.D. in Psychology from The Ohio State University. She joined the Hendrix College faculty in 2007 where she is currently a Professor of Psychology. She currently serves as chair of the Psychology Department and the campus Committee on Diversity and Dialogue.  Dr. Zorwick teaches courses about social psychology, with a particular focus on stereotyping, prejudice reduction, identity, and belonging.  Her teaching goes beyond the classroom in her research with students on prejudice reduction strategies and the development of empathy, her research on the social benefits of debate and advocacy training, her work with students about how to effectively to facilitate conversations about racial justice, and her work on developing inclusive academic communities related to National Science Foundation STEM Scholars grants.  Dr. Zorwick has given presentations about bias, prejudice reduction, and inclusive classrooms to faculty at Southwestern University and Hendrix College, medical students and faculty at Rocky Vista University, psychological assessment experts in Arkansas, and community audiences in Ohio and Arkansas.  She has served as a consultant for Emory University, Spanx Corporate Headquarters, YWCA, and Beyond Housing (a nonprofit in St. Louis).  She has also served as an expert witness in two federal discrimination trials, speaking about the benefits of diverse and inclusive educational settings. 

Courses I teach


  • PSYC 230  Social Psychology 
    PSYC 255  Stereotyping and Prejudice 
    PSYC 290  Statistics 
    PSYC 352  Social Cognition 
    PSYC 367  Psychology and Law 


    Research Interests

    Broadly, my research examines three different types of research questions.  First, how are people are influenced by the presence and absence of group stereotypes?  Second, how does a person's sense of identification with social groups affect their perception? Third, what are effective remedies for stereotyping and prejudice?

    More specifically, I have research interests in the following topics:
    • Perspective taking in teacher-student relationships
    • Perspective taking as a remedy for stereotyping and prejudice
    • Gender stereotypes and gender identity
    • Southern stereotypes
    • Intergroup contact and prejudice reduction
    • Perceptions of women in the legal system
    • Social justice and perceptions of fairness
    • Stereotypes of athletes and identification with being a sports fan
    • How behavior changes to become more like what we see or think about
    • Trust and support for legal authorities


    Recent Publications and Presentations  (* denotes Hendrix undergraduate collaborator)

    Zorwick, M. L. W., Kinoshita, V., Lassiter-Counts, L., Moran, M., & MacDonald, L. M. (in press).  Intentional scaffolding of advising, mentoring, and wise intervention programming in the first-year experience promotes student resilience in the face of a global pandemic: a case study of STEM student responses to college and COVID-19 stressors.  Cultural Studies of Science Education.

    Peszka, J., Kennedy L., & Zorwick, L. (2022) Using jamovi in undergrad statistics: Changes in interpretation quality, emotions, and self-efficacy. National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology in St. Pete Beach, FL.

    MacDonald, L., Zorwick, M. L. W., Moran, M., & Lassiter-Counts, L. (2020).  A Multi-Pronged Approach to the Retention and Success of Underrepresented STEM Students.  American Society for Microbiology Conference for Undergraduate Educators, Virtual Conference.

    Zorwick, M. L. W. (2020). Addressing Stereotyping and Prejudice in the Middle School Classroom (and beyond).  Invited talk presented at the virtual annual meeting of the Association for Constructivist Teaching.

    Shepherd. R.*, Henderson J.*, Marshall, L.*, & Zorwick, M. L. W. (2020). Using Contextual Bible Study to facilitate perspective taking and prejudice reduction.  Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.

    Gardner, X.*, Scott, A.*, Jewell, A.*, & Zorwick, M. L. W. (2020). Enhancing self-efficacy and self-compassion through Contextual Bible Study about racial justice.  Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.

    MacDonald, L., Zorwick, M. L. W., Moran, M., Jackson, D., & Lassiter-Counts, L. (2019).  Developing Future Arkansas Scientists Through the STEM Scholars Scholarship Program.  American Society for Microbiology Conference for Undergraduate Educators, Washington, D.C.

    Zorwick, M. L. W. (2019). Psychology, Racial Justice, and Contextual Bible Study.  Talk presented at the Contextual Bible Studies Conference with the Ujamaa Centre, Little Rock, AR.

    Zorwick, M. L. W., & Wade, J. (2016). Enhancing civic education through the use of assigned advocacy, argumentation and debate across the curriculum.  Communication Education, 65(4), 434-444.

    Zorwick, M. L. W. (2016).  Using debate to develop perspective taking and social skills.  In K. A. Davis, M. L. W. Zorwick, J. Roland, & M. M. Wade (Eds.), Using Debate in the Classroom:  Encouraging Critical Thinking, Communication, and Collaboration.  New York: Routledge.

    Davis, K., Zorwick, M. L. W., Roland, J., & Wade, M. M. (2016).  An introduction to classroom debate:  A tool for educating minds and heartsIn K. A. Davis, M. L. W. Zorwick, J. Roland, & M. M. Wade (Eds.), Using Debate in the Classroom: Encouraging Critical Thinking, Communication, and Collaboration.  New York: Routledge.

    Zorwick, M. L. W. (2016). The role of vicarious perceived perspective raking in students' impressions of teachers.  Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA.

    *Jordan, A., & Zorwick, M. L. W. (2016). How do we think turning points for others are fated: The role of counterfactual thought and perspective taking in meaning-making.  Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA.

    *Battle, J., *Hildebrand, L., & Zorwick, M. L. W. (2016). Are you allowed to say that? An analysis of evaluations of professors teaching race-related courses.  Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA.

    Zorwick, M. L. W. & Wade, J. (2015).  Using forensic activity to develop the skills identified in Common Core State Standards.  The Rostrum, 90(1), 46-52. 

    Zorwick, M. L. W. (2015). Perceived perspective taking in teacher-student relationships.  Talk presented at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association, Wichita, KS.

    *Battle, J., *Hill, H., & Zorwick, M. L. W. (2015). “Are you allowed to say that?” Evaluations of professors teaching race-related courses.  Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association, Wichita, KS.

    *McClellan, C., *Jordan, A., Zorwick, M. L. W., & *Erickson, P. (2015). Role of moral convictions on ingroup and outgroup judgments.  Talk presented at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association, Wichita, KS.

    *Showalter, C., Zorwick, M. L. W., *Arnold, K., & *Westerfield, K. (2015). Group dynamics: How status influences the perception of in-group transgressors.  Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association, Wichita, KS.

    Wade, J. & Zorwick, M. L. W. (2015). Making the case for assigned advocacy, argument, and debate across the Curriculum.  Paper presented at the Conference on Speech and Debate as Civic Education at Penn State University, State College, PA.

     

    Invited Talks

    Keynote Speaker, Understanding and Addressing Implicit Bias in Evaluation, Fall Faculty Conference, Southwestern University, 2022

    Speaker, Productive Conflict for Communities and Organizations (with Liz Lundeen), Community Development Institute, University of Central Arkansas, August 2022

    Speaker, Developing Inclusive Communities and Better Leaders Through Perspective Taking, BEAR Talks Series, University of Central Arkansas, March 2022

    Speaker, Understanding Implicit Bias, Northeast Cincinnati Rotary Club, June 2021

    Keynote Speaker, Understanding Implicit Bias in Medicine, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summit, Rocky Vista University, January 2021

    Faculty Speaker, Avoiding Impostor Syndrome, New Student Convocation, Hendrix College, Fall 2019

    Speaker, Identity and Belonging, Arkansas Psychology Consortium, Little Rock, AR, 2017

    Keynote Speaker, Teaching for the Inclusive Classroom, Fall Faculty Conference, Hendrix College, 2016

     

    Podcasts

    Matthias, K., & White, A. (Hosts).  (2021, January 31).  “Diversity: The Best Medicine for Medicine” (Season 1, Episode 8) [Audio podcast episode].  In Doctor Impostor. https://www.drimpostor.com/

    O’Connor, R. (Host).  (2020, March 18).  “Margaret Berry Hutton Odyssey Professorship: I really get to be really engaged in community, at Hendrix or more broadly, while still doing these things that I want to do in terms of my program of research” (Season 2, Episode 8) [Audio podcast episode].  In Hendrix College Odcast. https://anchor.fm/hendrix-college/episodes/I-really-get-to-be-engaged-in-community--at-Hendrix-or-more-broadly--while-still-doing-these-things-that-I-want-to-do-in-terms-of-my-program-of-research-ea3teu

    McClellan Kelley, C. (Host).  (2020, February 7).  “Wait – what is impostor syndrome?” (Season 2, Episode 1) [Audio podcast episode].  In Am I Qualified to do This?https://www.nonethreateningblackgirl.com/am-i-qualified-to-do-this/wait-what-is-imposter-syndrome