Picture of Dr. Melanie Morrison

Dr. Melanie Morrison BA, MSc, PhD

Professor

Faculty Member in Psychology and Health Studies

Office
Arts 68

Research Area(s)

  • Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination toward Marginalized Social Groups
  • Social Class & Social Class Identity
  • Food Industry, Food Prices, Food Insecurity
  • Inequalities
  • Diversity
  • Big Data & Technology
  • Applied Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence
  • Data Mining & Data Science

About me

I investigate forms of bias (the attitudes, behaviours, and psychophysiological reactions) that negatively affect the wellness of marginalized persons and the social groups to which they belong. Much of my research has documented the various forms of prejudice and discrimination harboured by primarily white, heterosexual, cisgender persons. Placing onus on dominant majority group members to effectively confront and reduce the biases that they may witness or enact is a key feature of the research that I, along with my students, conduct in the Saskatchewan Equity, Equality, and Diversity (SEEDLab.


Publications

Discrimination Diversity Genders Prejudice Privilege Sexual Minorities Social Class Social Justice Stereotyping

RECENT PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS/CHAPTERS:

  • Morrison, M.A., Katz., J.W., Sadika, B., McCutcheon, J.M., & Morrison, T.G. (in press). STEM representation of women in senior leadership. Gender in the Academy. B. Momani & R. Johnstone, Eds. UBC Press.
  • Parker, K., Morrison, M.A., Morrison, T.G., Dyck, L.E.Q., & Wall, K. (in press). Toward a fair justice system in Canada: Women and girls homicide database project. Routledge Companion on Gender, Media, and Violence. K. Boyle & S. Berridge. Routledge.
  • Charlebois, S., Ducharme, M-E., Morrison, M.A., Vezeau, J., & Taylor, S. (2023). The local food paradox: A second study of local food affordability in Canada. Sustainability, 15, 1-17. IF = 3.89
  • Charlebois, S., Hill, A., Morrison, M.A., Vezeau, J., Music, J., & Mayhew, K. (2022). Is buying local less expensive? Debunking a myth - Assessing the price competitiveness of local food products in Canada. Food. IF = 5.56
  • de Barros, C.A., Sadika, B., Croteau, T.A., Morrison, M.A., & Morrison, T.G. (2022). Associations between subcategories of disgust sensitivity and homonegativity: Examining intergroup contact as a moderator. Psychology & Sexuality, 1-21. IF = 2.344.
  • Hoffman, E.M., de Souza, M.J.B., Morrison, M.A., & Morrison, T.G. (2021). Beyond the rainbow: Attitudes of Brazilian consumers regarding homoaffective advertisements. Brazilian Business Review, 18, 433-449.
  • Morrison, M.A., Parker, K.M., Sadika, B., Sameen, D., & Morrison, T.G. (2021). "Newsworthy enough"?: Media framing of Canadian LGBTQ persons' sexual violence experiences. Psychology & Sexuality, 12, 96-114. IF = 2.558.    
  • Kiss, M.J., Morrison, M.A., & Morrison, T.G. (2020). A meta-analytic review of the association between disgust and homonegativity toward gay men. Journal of Homosexuality, 67, 674-696. IF = 1.277.
  • Parker, K.M., Sadika, B., Sameen, D., Morrison, T.G., & Morrison, M.A. (2020). Humanizing lesbian characters on television: Exploring their characterization and interpersonal relationships. Journal of Lesbian Studies, 24, 395-413.
  • Sadika, B., Wiebe, E., Morrison, M.A., & Morrison, T.G. (2020). Intersectional microaggressions and social support for LGBTQ Persons of Colour: A systematic review of the Canadian-based empirical literature. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 16, 111-147.  
  • Morrison, M.A., Bishop, CJ, & Morrison, T.G. (2019). A systematic review of the psychometric properties of composite LGBT prejudice and discrimination scales. Journal of Homosexuality, 66, 549-570. IF = 1.277.
  • Morrison, M.A., Kiss, M.J., Parker, K., Hamp, T., & Morrison, T.G. (2019). A systematic review of the psychometric properties of binegativity scales. Journal of Bisexuality, 19, 23-50.
  • Morrison, M.A., Sadika, B., & Morrison, T.G. (2019). Contested meanings and lived experiences of Two-Spiritness: A systematic review of the Canadian research literature. Canadian Journal of Native Studies, 39, 145-168.
  • Morrison, M.A., Trinder, K.M., & Morrison, T.G. (2019). Affective responses to gay men using facial electromyography:  The neuroscientific “look” of anti-gay bias. Journal of Homosexuality, 66, 1238-1261. IF = 1.277.
  • Morrison, T.G., Kiss, M., Bishop, CJ, & Morrison, M.A. (2019). "We're disgusted with queers, not fearful of them": The interrelationships among disgust, gay men's sexual behavior, and homonegativity. Journal of Homosexuality, 66, 1014-1033. IF = 1.277.
  • Williams, D., Nielsen, E-J., Morrison, M.A., & Morrison, T.G. (2019). Challenges to masculinity in a feminized digital space: Men as autonomous online agents on Pinterest. Qualitative Market Research, 22, 180-189.

Teaching & Supervision

Discrimination Diversity Health Inequalities Indigenous Inequities Prejudice Sexual Orientation Social Class Social Justice Stereotyping Women

MY PRIMARY TEACHING AREAS ARE:

Social Psychology

Stereotyping, Prejudice & Discrimination

Scale Development & Psychometrics

Social Justice



Research

Big Data Discrimination/Bias Diversities Food Security Genders Inclusions Indigenous Inequalities Prejudice Privilege Psychometrics Sexual Orientation Sexuality Social Class Social Class Identity Social Justice Stereotyping Technology Women

I conduct research in the areas of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination.  I am particularly interested in understanding contemporary forms of prejudice, and investigating the ways in which prejudice manifests behaviourally and, to some extent, psychophysiologically.  Prejudice and discrimination can occur along a number of dimensions that intersect, and social class, gender identity, and sexual orientation are some of the dimensions that I am specifically interested in.  Alongside my very talented students, I use contemporary theorizing about prejudice to address issues that, to this day, remain less well understood such as the motivations people report for their prejudice and discrimination toward a given social group; how people make sense of their prejudice and discrimination toward the social group in question; and how they justify their prejudice and discrimination on an ongoing basis.  To document and better understand the complex nature of current social biases, I use both quantitative and qualitative methods and methodologies.  

Education & Training

I completed my Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours with Distinction) from the University of Victoria; Master of Science degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of Northern British Columbia; and PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of Ottawa.