Campus Directory

Division Social Sciences Division

Department/College/Unit Psychology Department

Title Distinguished Professor

Affiliation Faculty

Other UCSC Campus Affiliation Education Department
Feminist Studies Department
John R. Lewis College
College Nine

Faculty Type Regular Faculty

Areas of Expertise Sexism and Gender Bias
Personal and Social Identities
Discrimination and Inequality
Schools and Academic Achievement
Peer Groups and Friendships
Sociolinguistics
Mass Media
Ethnicity
Gender Studies

Web Site

Primary Office Location Social Sciences 2
Room 355

Office Hours Monday 11:45-12:15 & Friday 11:45-12:15 or by appointment

Mail Stop Psychology Faculty Services

Biography, Education and Training

Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School, Boston

Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles

B.A., Boston University

Summary of Expertise

Developmental and social-psychological perspectives on gender and sexism in childhood and adulthood. 

Research Interests

The origins and consequences of gender inequities across the lifespan, including: 

• * sexist attitudes and experiences with sexism from childhood into adulthood
• * self-concepts, social identities, and stereotyping during gender development
• * intersections of gender and racial-ethnic identities
• * gender, language, and social interaction
• * impact of gender stereotyping and sexual harassment in schools on academic motivation (including STEM fields)
• * meta-analysis and integrative reviews

Please see Professor Leaper's personal web page for more information.

Awards, Honors and Grants

   * Martin M. Chemers Award for Outstanding Research (2021)

   * Distinguished Professor (2020-on)

   * Fellow, Society for Personality and Social Psychology (2019-on)

   * Golden Apple Teaching Award (2010)

   * Fellow, Association for Psychological Science (2007-on)

Selected Publications

•   Leaper, C., & Gutierrez, B. C. (2024). Sexism and gender-based discrimination.  Encyclopedia of Adolescence (2nd ed.). Elsevier. 
•   Leaper, C. (2022). Origins and consequences of childhood gender segregation: Towards an integrative developmental systems model. In D. P. VanderLaan & W. I. Wong (Eds.), Gender and sexuality development. Springer.
•   Shirefley, T. A., & Leaper, C. (2022). Mothers' and fathers' science-related talk with daughters and sons while reading life and physical science books. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.813572
•   Starr, C. R., & Leaper, C. (2022). Gender, race, perceived representation, and stereotyped attitudes in relation to undergraduates' pSTEM identity and motivation. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations.  https://doi.org/10.1177/13684302221128235
•   Gutierrez, B. C., & Leaper, C. (2021). Reconstructing culture: A latent profile analysis of Mexican-heritage young women's cultural practices, gender values, and ethnic identity. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000515
•   Leaper, C., Gutierrez, B. C., & Farkas, T. (2020). Ambivalent sexism and reported relationship qualities in emerging adult heterosexual dating couples. Emerging Adulthood.  https://doi.org/10.1177/2167696820934687
•  Leaper, C., & Starr, C. R. (2019). Helping or hindering undergraduate women's STEM motivation: Experiences with STEM support, STEM-related gender bias, and sexual harassment. Psychology of Women Quarterly.   https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684318806302

Advisees, Grad Students & Researchers Gutierrez, Brenda (brcgutie)
Shirefley, Tess (thaifley)
Starr, Christine (cestarr)
Walsh, Abigail (abwalsh)

Courses Psych 1: Introduction to Psychology
Psych 100: Research Methods in Psychology
Psych 106: Social and Emotional Development
Psych 107: Gender and Development
Psych 140Q: Social Psychology of Sex and Gender
Psych 225: Research Methods in Developmental Psychology
Psych 244B: Proseminar 2: Social and Personality Development
Psych 254: Psychology of Gender