Dr. Sarah Gaither
@sarahegaither.bsky.social
Social and Developmental Psychology at Duke; foodie, twin mom, UC Berkeley and Tufts alumna; she/her
Thankful for each and every single one of you in my lab!!
Grateful for our incredible lab team—their curiosity and care drive our science every day. 🧠💫
And heartfelt thanks to the adults, children, and families who make our research possible through their participation and trust. We couldn’t do this work without you. 🍂💛
#Psychology #Research #Gratitude
And heartfelt thanks to the adults, children, and families who make our research possible through their participation and trust. We couldn’t do this work without you. 🍂💛
#Psychology #Research #Gratitude
November 25, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Thankful for each and every single one of you in my lab!!
It’s letter-of-recommendation season again, when universities ask me to rate a 21 year old student’s ability to “see the big picture of life” while I eat leftover pasta in a Tupperware…
a man with a mustache says but why in yellow letters
ALT: a man with a mustache says but why in yellow letters
media.tenor.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:15 PM
It’s letter-of-recommendation season again, when universities ask me to rate a 21 year old student’s ability to “see the big picture of life” while I eat leftover pasta in a Tupperware…
Do your hands talk when you do? 🗣️✋
Check out this @duke-university.bsky.social write up about my new work with my postdoc Esha Naidu (she is on the job market!) showing gestures reflect culture & identity—our nonverbal “accents” can shape interracial communication.
trinity.duke.edu/news/talking...
Check out this @duke-university.bsky.social write up about my new work with my postdoc Esha Naidu (she is on the job market!) showing gestures reflect culture & identity—our nonverbal “accents” can shape interracial communication.
trinity.duke.edu/news/talking...
Talking with Our Hands: Duke Study Reveals How Culture Shapes Our Gestures
You are having dinner with friends, and the conversation is lively. Do your hands join the chat, or do they stay focused on your knife and fork?
trinity.duke.edu
November 11, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Do your hands talk when you do? 🗣️✋
Check out this @duke-university.bsky.social write up about my new work with my postdoc Esha Naidu (she is on the job market!) showing gestures reflect culture & identity—our nonverbal “accents” can shape interracial communication.
trinity.duke.edu/news/talking...
Check out this @duke-university.bsky.social write up about my new work with my postdoc Esha Naidu (she is on the job market!) showing gestures reflect culture & identity—our nonverbal “accents” can shape interracial communication.
trinity.duke.edu/news/talking...
So happy for my lab!!! See you in Chicago!
More @spspnews.bsky.social happiness for the lab! Congrats to @mohammadwiswall.bsky.social Tose, Mercedes, Hannah, Mariam and our undergrads Julia and Jalen for all having posters accepted!! We hope chilly Chicago is ready for our science!!
a penguin is standing in the snow with the words happyfeet behind it
ALT: a penguin is standing in the snow with the words happyfeet behind it
media.tenor.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:03 PM
So happy for my lab!!! See you in Chicago!
“The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.” —John Lewis #electionday #govote
November 4, 2025 at 1:26 PM
“The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.” —John Lewis #electionday #govote
So incredibly honored to be named a @spspnews.bsky.social Fellow this year!! Hooray for science!! 🎉🥳
spsp.org/news/spsp-ne...
spsp.org/news/spsp-ne...
Announcing 2025 SPSP and Division 8 Fellows | SPSP
Please join us in congratulating the newest cohort of SPSP and APA Division 8 Fellows!
spsp.org
October 22, 2025 at 2:08 PM
So incredibly honored to be named a @spspnews.bsky.social Fellow this year!! Hooray for science!! 🎉🥳
spsp.org/news/spsp-ne...
spsp.org/news/spsp-ne...
No tricks here, just the best lab!!
Happy fall y’all! We are clearly the pick of the patch since our data is looking gourd-geous!
October 7, 2025 at 4:56 PM
No tricks here, just the best lab!!
Reposted by Dr. Sarah Gaither
"Data manipulation by the US Gov...makes crucial datasets untrustworthy and unusable. If the US Government secretly changes datasets for political reasons, researchers relying on the data might erroneously recommend ineffective or counterproductive interventions."
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Data manipulation within the US Federal Government
A US Department of Veterans Affairs dataset compiling veteran health-care use in 2021
was quietly amended on March 5, 2025. A column titled gender was renamed sex, and
the words were also switched in ...
www.thelancet.com
September 28, 2025 at 11:13 PM
"Data manipulation by the US Gov...makes crucial datasets untrustworthy and unusable. If the US Government secretly changes datasets for political reasons, researchers relying on the data might erroneously recommend ineffective or counterproductive interventions."
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Best academic related phone autocorrect I had this morning: instead of “prep” it corrected to oreo. Yes, we all need more oreos!!
a man in a suit and tie is sitting at a desk holding a piece of paper
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is sitting at a desk holding a piece of paper
media.tenor.com
September 26, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Best academic related phone autocorrect I had this morning: instead of “prep” it corrected to oreo. Yes, we all need more oreos!!
Check out some coverage of one of my past papers highlighting multiple identities and flexible thinking in kids! @dukeidlab.bsky.social is running some follow up studies now for anyone with 8-10 year olds out there, the study is on zoom! Let me know! #psychology
iol.co.za/lifestyle/fa...
iol.co.za/lifestyle/fa...
Remind kids that there's more to life than simply being someone's child
This practice of introducing kids to their various roles also broadens their horizon.
iol.co.za
September 17, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Check out some coverage of one of my past papers highlighting multiple identities and flexible thinking in kids! @dukeidlab.bsky.social is running some follow up studies now for anyone with 8-10 year olds out there, the study is on zoom! Let me know! #psychology
iol.co.za/lifestyle/fa...
iol.co.za/lifestyle/fa...
I find picking a journal SO stressful! It is like dating!!!
#AcademicSky
Laypeople would probably be surprised to learn how much effort researchers put into selecting WHICH journal to submit a manuscript to.
But it's actually a critical part of publishing. (we can argue about whether that's a good or bad thing)
Laypeople would probably be surprised to learn how much effort researchers put into selecting WHICH journal to submit a manuscript to.
But it's actually a critical part of publishing. (we can argue about whether that's a good or bad thing)
September 2, 2025 at 7:04 PM
I find picking a journal SO stressful! It is like dating!!!
Check out the newest pub from @dukeidlab.bsky.social Led by Mercedes Munoz (my amazing grad student on the job market this year!!), we argue for the need to consider all of our various identities when thinking about racial/ethnic socialization messages!
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Considering Multiplicity in Racial Ethnic Socialization | Annual Reviews
An often-underacknowledged component of racial ethnic identity development concerns youth's multiple social identities, which affect how and when youth receive racial ethnic socialization (RES) f...
www.annualreviews.org
August 29, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Check out the newest pub from @dukeidlab.bsky.social Led by Mercedes Munoz (my amazing grad student on the job market this year!!), we argue for the need to consider all of our various identities when thinking about racial/ethnic socialization messages!
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Happy FDOC to me!! My motto for this school year “Let laughter happen” We all need to laugh sometimes!! No matter what!!
August 26, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Happy FDOC to me!! My motto for this school year “Let laughter happen” We all need to laugh sometimes!! No matter what!!
I like to celebrate accomplishments and make fall goals. One of my grad students asked me, “Was this your dream? To be sitting at a table like this with so much diversity?” I answered, “Yes!” The science we do isn’t possible without diversity at the table. So let’s all find a seat at a table.
Happy end of summer to our amazing lab!! So much writing and science, a celebration and planning lunch was needed!! ☀️ Fall semeter here we come!!
August 13, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I like to celebrate accomplishments and make fall goals. One of my grad students asked me, “Was this your dream? To be sitting at a table like this with so much diversity?” I answered, “Yes!” The science we do isn’t possible without diversity at the table. So let’s all find a seat at a table.
A few students from our department went to SISSP this year! This is such a great @spspnews.bsky.social program to help train the next generation!
SISSP (Summer Institute for Social and Personality Psychology) @spspnews.bsky.social was a big success! @mohammadwiswall.bsky.social met so many wonderful people in the field and learned a ton too!
August 6, 2025 at 2:19 PM
A few students from our department went to SISSP this year! This is such a great @spspnews.bsky.social program to help train the next generation!
Look at my new lab home!!!
A belated post to show proof we have moved officially into our new lab space at @duke-university.bsky.social while our building on campus is renovated the next two years!! Come visit us!!
July 31, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Look at my new lab home!!!
As you may know, my PhD adviser Sam Sommers passed away suddenly. He was an incredible mentor and teacher and spent all of his time helping others. I am asking you all to help his wife and daughters during this tragic time which has created financial hardships. Thank you. ❤️
gofund.me/e214cc60
gofund.me/e214cc60
Donate to Supporting Sam Sommers’ Family After Sudden Loss, organized by Julie Bettergarcia
Our dear friend and colleague, Sam Sommers died unexpectedly at th… Julie Bettergarcia needs your support for Supporting Sam Sommers’ Family After Sudden Loss
gofund.me
July 28, 2025 at 11:35 PM
As you may know, my PhD adviser Sam Sommers passed away suddenly. He was an incredible mentor and teacher and spent all of his time helping others. I am asking you all to help his wife and daughters during this tragic time which has created financial hardships. Thank you. ❤️
gofund.me/e214cc60
gofund.me/e214cc60
Mentoring and teaching is the best part of this job!
Last week we got to celebrate our high school intern Avani with her final summer program presentation at NCSSM! She helped so much in the lab, and is off to start college applications! So look out colleges for Avani!!
July 22, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Mentoring and teaching is the best part of this job!
New paper with my collaborator Eva Chen! Children in Hong Kong notice both ethnicity and wealth status by preschool, with majority kids preferring their ethnic ingroup, but ethnic minority kids don't. Status shifts preferences! Free access through this link!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Whom do I like more? Examining ethnic majority and minority children’s socializing preferences in Hong Kong
Children often attend to social group differences when making decisions. Here, we investigated group preferences among Hong Kong children: 115 Chinese…
www.sciencedirect.com
July 17, 2025 at 1:43 PM
New paper with my collaborator Eva Chen! Children in Hong Kong notice both ethnicity and wealth status by preschool, with majority kids preferring their ethnic ingroup, but ethnic minority kids don't. Status shifts preferences! Free access through this link!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A nice write up of our newly accepted paper led by Nancy Zucker stressing the importance of peer support programs in college! We also talk about our own DukeLine peer texting program we launched here @duke-university.bsky.social #psychology #mentalhealth
psychiatry.duke.edu/news/study-s...
psychiatry.duke.edu/news/study-s...
Study Shows More Colleges Are Embracing Peer Support — Just Not in the Same Way
A recent Duke-led study published in the Journal of American College Health offers the most comprehensive look to date at the availability, structure, and quality of peer mental health support program...
psychiatry.duke.edu
July 16, 2025 at 3:14 PM
A nice write up of our newly accepted paper led by Nancy Zucker stressing the importance of peer support programs in college! We also talk about our own DukeLine peer texting program we launched here @duke-university.bsky.social #psychology #mentalhealth
psychiatry.duke.edu/news/study-s...
psychiatry.duke.edu/news/study-s...
Summer lab outings are the best!! 🐵
The lab took a break from our science to learn all about lemur science at the Duke Lemur Center!!! Happy summer, everyone!
July 16, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Summer lab outings are the best!! 🐵
Even more science presentations!!
And our summer VIP program is complete! Jalen and Olivia presented their final posters yesterday and got great feedback! We can’t wait to see data collection finish up!
July 11, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Even more science presentations!!
So proud of Jalen and Olivia!!!
Congrats to Jalen and Olivia on amazing VIP presentations! Jalen discussed kid’s multiple identities and Olivia talked about gesture and social interactions! And of course we had to get ice cream to celebrate after! 🍦🎉
July 11, 2025 at 10:24 AM
So proud of Jalen and Olivia!!!
So glad Mariam is on our team here at Duke now!!!!
A big lab welcome to Mariam Wahba as our new recruitment coordinator! 👋🏼
A recent grad from UNC Chapel Hill in #psychology she is excited about making connections, working in the community, and making a difference! A fun fact about her is that she loves to paint! 🎨
A recent grad from UNC Chapel Hill in #psychology she is excited about making connections, working in the community, and making a difference! A fun fact about her is that she loves to paint! 🎨
July 8, 2025 at 5:27 PM
So glad Mariam is on our team here at Duke now!!!!
So happy our work got out to new people at this conference! #psychology
The lab had a great time @spssi.bsky.social! @mohammadwiswall.bsky.social presented new data looking at multiracial Asian identity denial, @kirbylam.bsky.social discussed new masculine norm work, and lab alum @adamstanaland.bsky.social presented his newest work on masculinity too! #spssicon25
June 30, 2025 at 2:06 PM
So happy our work got out to new people at this conference! #psychology