Department of Psychology
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Dr.
San Diego, CA 92182-4611

Ph: (619) 594-5358
Fax:(619) 594-1332

Life Sciences 110
Mail Code: 4611

Open 8:00 am - 4:30 pm M-F

David M. Marx

Assistant Professor

Department of Psychology
College of Sciences
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Dr.
San Diego, CA 92182-4611

Office Location: SSE-2307E

Mail Code: 4611
Phone: (619) 594-8708
FAX: (619) 594-1332
E-Mail: dmarx@sciences.sdsu.edu

Research Interests

My research focuses on several aspects of social cognition including stereotypes, social comparison, and attention. One of my primary lines of research centers on defining and refining stereotype threat. In a related line of work, I examine ways to reduce stereotype threat. Specifically, I examine how the interplay of a collective self-construal orientation and positive ingroup comparisons can “turn off” the negative effects of stereotype threat. My research on social comparison explores how comparisons made in “traditional” and “stereotyped” contexts can lead to different outcomes on perceivers' behavior and self-evaluations. I also investigate the role of target attributes on the outcome of social comparisons. Finally, I conduct research on how a person's vocal characteristics capture attention and influence information processing (for a copy of my curriculum vitae click here).

Threat, Emotions, and Stereotyping Lab Webpage (the TEST lab)

Education

B.A., University of California , Berkeley (Social Psychology)
M.A., Harvard University (Social Psychology)
Ph.D., Harvard University (Social Psychology)
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Colorado , Boulder

Research Articles

Marx, D. M., Brown, J. L., & Steele, C. M. (1999). Allport's legacy and the situational press of stereotypes. Journal of Social Issues (Prejudice and Intergroup Relations: Papers in Honor of Gordon W. Allport's Centennial), 55 , 491-502.

Marx, D. M., & Roman, J. S. (2002). Female role models: Protecting women's math test performance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 1183-1193.

Marx, D. M., Stapel, D. A., & Muller, D. (2005). We can do it: The interplay of a collective self-construal orientation and social comparisons under threat . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88 , 432-446.

Marx, D. M., & Goff, P. A. (2005). Clearing the air: The effect of experimenter race on targets' test performance and subjective experience. British Journal of Social Psychology, 44, 645-657 .

Stapel, D. A., & Marx, D. M. (2006). Hardly thinking about others: On cognitive busyness and target similarity in social comparison effects. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 42, 397-405.

Marx, D. M., & Stapel, D. A. (2006). Distinguishing stereotype threat from priming effects: On the role of the social self and threat-based concerns . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 243-254 .

Marx, D. M., & Stapel, D. A. (in press). Understanding stereotype lift: On the role of the social self . Social Cognition .

Marx, D. M. & Stapel, D. A. (in press). It depends on your perspective: The role of self-relevance in stereotype-based underperformance . Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

Marx, D. M., & Stapel, D. A. (in press). It's all in the timing: Emotional reactions to stereotype threat before and after taking a test. European Journal of Social Psychology .

Stapel, D. A., & Marx, D. M. (in press). Making sense of war: Using the interpretation comparison model to understand the Iraq conflict. European Journal of Social Psychology.