Biography

Rachael Robnett is a developmental psychologist whose areas of expertise include adolescent development and gender development. Her research addresses the ways in which socialization, stereotypes, and society contour the attitudes and behaviors that people display in their daily lives.

Robnett's primary line of research provides insight into adolescents’ and young adults’ pursuit of careers related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). She is especially interested in identifying ways to bring more girls, women, and members of ethnic minority groups into STEM fields. Her research findings suggest that peers, self-efficacy, and hands-on research involvement may have important implications for underrepresented students’ pursuit of STEM careers.

Robnett’s second line of research examines the causes and implications of gender bias and gender-role adherence. Her work in this domain focuses on associations between gender-traditional ideologies and individuals’ preferences within the context of romantic relationships. For example, her work has examined people's preferences for marriage traditions such as marriage proposals and surname changes.