Benjamin Cheung
Email: bycheung@psych.ubc.ca
Website: http://ubc.academia.edu/BenjaminYCheung
Research Interests:
My research interests are rather eclectic, and can be categorised as below:
1. The process of acculturation - whether there is a sensitive window for the acquisition of a host culture for immigrants; whether immigrants are qualitatively different from their compatriots at home; and what is the trajectory of the changes of different self-concepts/outlook variables for these immigrants as the time spent in the newly-adopted culture increases
2. How genetic essentialism influences our cognitions about others' and our own behaviours/traits, and what are the subsequent behaviours (e.g. what decisions we make) that result from those cognitions.
3. Response to stereotypes - what types of cognitions moderate stereotype threat, and are there cultural differences in how people respond to stereotype threats, boosts, and lifts?
Work covered in the media by:
2010 - October 29 Omni TV: Cantonese News (Cantonese interview) MPG File, WMV File
2010 - December 7 SingTao Daily (Chinese article)
Publications:
Cheung, B. Y., Chudek, M., & Heine, S. J. (in press). Evidence for a sensitive window for acculturation: Younger immigrants report acculturating slower. Psychological Science. [PDF] (Right-click to save)
Presentations:
Griesel, D., Cheung, B. Y., & Yuille, J. C. (2010, March). The weapon focus effect revisited: A field study of prostituted victims of sexual violence. Paper presented at the 2010 AP-LS Conference, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Cheung, B. Y., Chudek, M., & Heine, S. J. (2010, January). A sensitive window for acculturation: Identification with mainstream culture decreases as a function of age of immigration. Poster presented at the 2010 SPSP Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, USA
Cheung, B., Dar-Nimrod, I., & Heine, S. (2008, April). Did HE do it? How Exposure to Scientific Theories Influence Rape Perceptions. Poster presented at the Research Postgraduate Conference, Hong Kong, S.A.R., China