FYI.

Guest Editors: Jessica Remedios (Tufts University) and Diana Sanchez (Rutgers University)

Dear Colleagues, 

The use of categories to synthesize social information and to form rapid judgments about the self and others is ubiquitous. Social categorization affects such disparate cognitive processes as self-perception, the self-concept, person perception, person-memory integration, and stereotyping and prejudice. Yet, much of what we have learned about social categories to date rests on the assumption that the groups to which people belong are independent and fixed. In reality, determining how to categorize the self and how to partition our social environments is rarely straightforward. All individuals belong to multiple social groups and can be perceived according to more than one category at any given time. Further, our understanding of social categories may be dynamic and fluid, rather than fixed.

In light of the intersectional and dynamic nature of social categorization, this special issue of Social Cognition will bring together research in an emerging field investigating how multiple, dynamic social categories shape social cognition. To be considered for inclusion in the special issue, papers must describe study designs that focus on multiple and/or dynamic social categories. “Social categories” may include both highly visible and less visible identities, including (but not limited to): age, gender, race, class, sexual orientation, mental health status, physical health status and weight. Social categories may or may not be associated with cultural stigmas, but the intersectional nature of social categories (as they influence one another) and/or the dynamic nature of social categories (in which categories are continuously re-defined and re-organized) must be considered. Papers must also focus on dependent variables related to social cognition (e.g., self-perception, person perception, person-memory integration, stereotyping).

All submitted papers will undergo the journal’s regular peer review if evaluated by the Guest Editors as appropriate for the special issue and the journal. Please submit your manuscript using the online submission portal for the journal. Please also indicate in your cover letter that the manuscript should be considered for this special issue. Manuscripts may be submitted as Articles or Reports. Reports may be no longer than 4000 words. Articles have no specific length; however, the guideline of no more than 40 pages for a three study paper is recommended.

Please send questions to Jessica Remedios (jessica.remedios@tufts.edu) or Diana Sanchez (disanche@rci.rutgers.edu).