This book, first published in 2001, features integrative theoretical and empirical work from social psychology, sociology, and psychology.

First published in 1986. This volume presents papers from the fourth Ontario Symposium on Personality and Social Psychology, held at the University o f Western Ontario, October 15- 16, 1983. The contributors are active researchers in the areas of relative deprivation and social com parison, whose chapters document the continuing vitality of these topics. One of the purposes of this volume is to provide an accurate picture of our current knowledge about relative deprivation and social comparison processes.

The importance of justice cannot be overstated. As one author has put it, "A better understanding of how justice concerns develop and function in people's lives should enable us to plan more effectively for institutional and other social change to deal with the problems that confront humankind" (S. C. Lerner, 1981, p. 466). The volume in which that statement appeared-an earlier one in this same series-was devoted to exploring the impact that dwindling resources and an increasing rate of change have had upon people's concern for justice. In contrast, the present volume places greater emphasis on the word under standing, as it was used in the context of the preceding quotation, than upon effective planning, social change, and ways of dealing with human problems. Nothing in that statement of purpose is meant to belittle the urgency of translat ing understanding into action, because the social significance of justice concerns is a major factor that has prompted the authors of the chapters in this book to do research in the area. Rather, this volume receives its emphasis from Kurt Lewin's famous dictum there is nothing so practical as a good theory. The need for good theory is ongoing, and these pages are dedicated to a search for new pathways toward better theory.

Do individuals’ perceptions of their relative economic status affect their attitudes regarding gender roles in patriarchal societies? What role does hearing messages designed to increase support for women’s empowerment play in moderating these effects? Leveraging an original survey experiment in Nepal, we find that a prime conferring feelings of relative deprivation causes women to revert to traditional views of gender in economic decision-making; they become less supportive of women having equal control over household income, sharing house hold chores with men, and working outside the home. Women’s empowerment messaging does not attenuate these effects. Priming men to feel relatively deprived causes declines in gender equitable economic and political views, but women’s empowerment messaging nullifies these effects. The results suggest that among populations feeling relatively deprived, regressive gender norms may take hold. However, light-touch efforts to spur support for women’s empowerment may counter some reversion to traditional views of gender.

This book examines two kinds of research, research in social psychology and in clinical psychology, into the effects of physical appearance on person perception. Both are explored with the objective of identifying gender similarities and differences on the effects of physical appearance. The theoretical framework for integrating the two approaches is presented, with implications of this framework for future research, social change, and psychotherapy. The book demonstrates that gender must be considered in research on physical appearance effects.

This new book looks at an important issue--the emotional impact of success upon women--at a time when opportunities are more available to them than ever before. Using research, clinical experience, and personal anecdotes, the contributors examine the timely issues of women and worry, women's sense of their own entitlement, fear of success and fear of failure, and women's impostor feelings. The dilemma that feminist therapists frequently experience of encouraging women clients, often superbly qualified in their fields, to take a risk that might involve rejection or failure, is highlighted here. Therapists will recognize the often expressed fears of academic and intellectual failure, as well as the fears of various interpersonal failures that result from a combination of women's opportunities in society as well as socialization.

In the past, social scientists have relied predominantly on traditional models of work to understand women's experiences. These models, however, have been based on men's occupational experiences, which have been assumed to be the same for women. More recently, researchers and theorists from a variety of disciplines have begun to challenge earlier assumptions as inaccurate reflections of the realities for female workers. Newer studies have concentrated on the historical and social reasons for women's employment and career choices, including changes in economy, family, and social conditions. To provide a deeper understanding of women worker's realities by including the meaning they make of their work experiences, the editors have assembled the research of social scientists from various disciplines whose investigations focused exclusively on this subject. Their qualitative methodology provides a forum for women to voice issues, raise questions, and share self-reflections about their work experiences and the meaning they make of their work in the context of the rest of their lives. The common themes that are interwoven within the fabric of women's work experience are: the need to expand traditional definitions of what constitutes "work;" the fluid nature of boundaries between personal life and work life; the importance of the relational aspects of their work; the issues related to the uses of power at work; the role of work in the development of women's sense of self and personal identity; and the degree to which women's work experience is colored by discrimination and sexism.

This volume consists of expanded and updated versions of papers presented at the Seventh Ontario Symposium on Personality and Social Psychology. The series is designed to bring together scholars from across North America who work in the same substantive area, with the goals of identifying common concerns and integrating research findings. The topic of this symposium was the psychology of prejudice and the presentations covered a wide variety of issues. The papers present state-of-the-art research programs addressing prejudice from the point of view of both the bigoted person as well as the victim of bigotry. The chapter authors confront this issue from two major -- and previously separate -- research traditions: the psychology of attitude and intergroup conflict. The chapters are organized in the following sequence of topics: the determinants and consequences of stereotypes, individual differences in prejudicial attitudes, intergroup relations, the responses of victims to prejudice and discrimination, and an integrative summary/commentary. Illustrating both the diversity and vitality of research on the psychology of prejudice, the editors hope that this volume will stimulate further research and theorizing in this area.