Graduate Students

Jessica Bray, M.A.

Contact Jessica at
jbray@miners.utep.edu 
​​What are your research interests? 

I have three lines of research. One examines the automaticity of first impressions and social factors that influence the likelihood of those impressions transferring into long-term memory storage. My second line of research examines  how perceptions of criticism and feedback differ depending on whether an ingroup or outgroup member delivers the message. My third line of research examines perceptions of discrimination and how interacting with someone discriminatory influences psychological wellbeing and cognitive functioning. 

What are you working on right now?

One set of studies examines the differences in encoding information for racial ingroup members and outgroup members. A second set of studies tests whether first impressions are updated differentially for racial ingroup vs outgroup members. I am also investigating how psychological wellbeing is impacted when people anticipate having to work with someone who is prejudiced toward their racial group. 

Keywords: Memory Consolidation, Spontaneous Trait Inferences, Prejudice & Discrimination, Intergroup Sensitivity Effect 
Kityara James
Contact Kityara at
kjames@miners.utep.edu 
​​What are your research interests? 

My key areas of interest include minority identity and law enforcement, discrimination, and cultural change. 

What are you working on right now?
  1. Minority Law Enforcement: Minority law enforcement have to clashing cultural identities; one that is racial and one that is vocational. How do they balance those identities when one is inconsistent with the other? Also, how does that affect job satisfaction and vocational connectedness? 
  2.  Hair discrimination study: Determining if individuals prescribe more negative attributes to Black women with natural hair when in academic settings.  
  3. New Normal: Establishing how minorities feel about the changing racial makeup of the United States. More specifically, how will minority individuals respond when learning about recent demographic change in the U.S.? 

Keywords: Cultural Change, Discrimination, Minority Law Enforcement ​

Jacqueline Lechuga, M.A.

Contact Jacqueline at 
jlechuga5@miners.utep.edu 
Where are you from? El Paso, Texas

Why did you decide to study at the UTEP? I completed my undergraduate degree here at UTEP. Throughout the years I developed a strong connection to different mentors and colleagues. It has been my experience that UTEP’s Psychology Department provides an encouraging environment for students to thrive. 

What do you enjoy most about UTEP? I have greatly enjoyed the diversity of opportunities that are offered to all UTEP students. It was here at UTEP where I received one of the first invitations to actively engage in psychological research. 
​
​​What are your key areas of research? Close Relationships (e.g., romantic relationships, friendships); Impression Formation (e.g., physical attractiveness, warmth, competence); Individual differences (e.g., Dark Triad, emophilia, fear of being single)