Mackenzie Ess, PhD

SHE | HER | HERS

Assistant Professor of Psychology

207-780-4560

mackenzie.ess@maine.edu

Download Curriculum Vitae

Science Building, Room 518 (A-wing), Portland campus

Territory/Specialty

Social Psychology

Education

Syracuse University, M.S., 2020; Ph.D., 2023

Purdue University, B.S., 2018

Current Courses

PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology (In-person)

PSY 201 Statistics in Psychology (In-person)

Research Interests

Intergroup bias

Stereotyping and prejudice

Inclusive teaching

Department of Psychology College of Science, Technology, and Health Women and Gender Studies

Mackenzie Ess, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Southern Maine. Dr. Ess received her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Syracuse University in 2023. Her research interests center around intergroup bias and the causal antecedents of stereotyping and prejudice toward marginalized social groups (e.g., sexual and gender minority groups). She also studies strategies for inclusive teaching, such as fostering belongingness in the classroom. Dr. Ess has shared her work on these topics at numerous conferences and in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Selected Publications

Ess, M., Burke, S. E., & LaFrance, M. (2023). Gendered anti-bisexual bias: Heterosexual, bisexual, and gay/lesbian people’s willingness to date sexual orientation ingroup and outgroup members. Journal of Homosexuality, 70(8) 1461-1478. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2022.2030618

Ess, M. & Burke, S. E. (2022). Class attitudes and the American work ethic: Praise for the hardworking poor and derogation of the lazy rich. Journal of Experimental and Social Psychology, 100, 104301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2022.104301

Houck, S. C., Huber, K. J., Ess, M., & Proulx, M. L. (2020). Cognitive complexity in political contexts. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.1024