Overview
Background
I was born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I completed my PhD in social psychology (with a concentration in the psychology of peace and violence) at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (2019). I then moved to the University of Queensland for a postdoctoral research fellowship (2019-2021) and now I am a Lecturer (teaching & research academic) in social psychology. I am part of the Social Identity and Groups Network (SIGN).
A central theme guiding my work is that both social change and the maintenance of the status quo is often achieved through sustained group-based efforts. To this end, I conduct research around ongoing social and political issues using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods in laboratory, online, and field settings across different regions of the world. This research is only possible through close collaboration with my mentors, colleagues, and students. My research interests are: social change and intergroup relations; social movements and collective action; intergroup solidarity; intergroup conflict and reconciliation.
Availability
- Dr Hema Preya Selvanathan is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Masters (Coursework) of Science, University of Massachusetts
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Massachusetts
Works
Search Professor Hema Preya Selvanathan’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Journal Article
Normalization of the Alt-Right: How perceived prevalence and acceptability of the Alt-Right is linked to public attitudes
Selvanathan, Hema Preya and Leidner, Bernhard (2021). Normalization of the Alt-Right: How perceived prevalence and acceptability of the Alt-Right is linked to public attitudes. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 25 (6), 1-22. doi: 10.1177/13684302211017633
2021
Journal Article
Need satisfaction in intergroup contact: a multinational study of pathways toward social change
Hässler, Tabea, Ullrich, Johannes, Sebben, Simone, Shnabel, Nurit, Bernardino, Michelle, Valdenegro, Daniel, Van Laar, Colette, González, Roberto, Visintin, Emilio Paolo, Tropp, Linda R., Ditlmann, Ruth K., Abrams, Dominic, Aydin, Anna Lisa, Pereira, Adrienne, Selvanathan, Hema Preya, von Zimmermann, Jorina, Lantos, Nóra Anna, Sainz, Mario, Glenz, Andreas, Kende, Anna, Oberpfalzerová, Hana, Bilewicz, Michal, Branković, Marija, Noor, Masi, Pasek, Michael H., Wright, Stephen C., Žeželj, Iris, Kuzawinska, Olga, Maloku, Edona ... Pistella, Jessica (2021). Need satisfaction in intergroup contact: a multinational study of pathways toward social change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 122 (4), 634-658. doi: 10.1037/pspi0000365
2021
Journal Article
COVID‐19 and social psychological research: A silver lining
Jetten, Jolanda, Bentley, Sarah V., Crimston, Charlie R., Selvanathan, Hema Preya and Haslam, S. Alexander (2021). COVID‐19 and social psychological research: A silver lining. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 24 (1) ajsp.12465, 34-36. doi: 10.1111/ajsp.12465
2021
Journal Article
To what extent are conspiracy theorists concerned for self versus others? A COVID‐19 test case
Hornsey, Matthew J., Chapman, Cassandra M., Alvarez, Belen, Bentley, Sarah, Casara, Bruno Gabriel Salvador, Crimston, Charlie R., Ionescu, Octavia, Krug, Henning, Selvanathan, Hema Preya, Steffens, Niklas K. and Jetten, Jolanda (2021). To what extent are conspiracy theorists concerned for self versus others? A COVID‐19 test case. European Journal of Social Psychology, 51 (2) ejsp.2737, 285-293. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.2737
2021
Journal Article
Rights consciousness in Malaysia: How an electoral reform movement fostered a sense of political efficacy amongst citizens
Khoo, Ying Hooi, Selvanathan, Hema Preya and Lickel, Brian (2021). Rights consciousness in Malaysia: How an electoral reform movement fostered a sense of political efficacy amongst citizens. Asian Studies Review, 45 (1), 83-99. doi: 10.1080/10357823.2020.1855109
2021
Journal Article
A world together: global citizen identification as a basis for prosociality in the face of COVID-19
Wang, Zhechen, Jetten, Jolanda, Steffens, Niklas K., Álvarez, Belén, Bentley, Sarah V., Salvador Casara, Bruno Gabriel, Crimston, Charlie R., Ionescu, Octavia, Krug, Henning, Selvanathan, Hema Preya, Tanjitpiyanond, Porntida, Wibisono, Susilo, Chen, Shuting, Wang, Jiajun, Zhang, Xin and Sun, Shijin (2021). A world together: global citizen identification as a basis for prosociality in the face of COVID-19. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 26 (1), 71-95. doi: 10.1177/13684302211051619
2021
Journal Article
Aung San Suu Kyi’s defensive denial of the Rohingya massacre: a rhetorical analysis of denial and positive-image construction
Putra, Idhamsyah Eka, Selvanathan, Hema Preya, Mashuri, Ali and Montiel, Cristina J. (2021). Aung San Suu Kyi’s defensive denial of the Rohingya massacre: a rhetorical analysis of denial and positive-image construction. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 9 (2), 353-369. doi: 10.5964/jspp.7301
2020
Journal Article
From marches to movements: building and sustaining a social movement following collective action
Selvanathan, Hema Preya and Jetten, Jolanda (2020). From marches to movements: building and sustaining a social movement following collective action. Current Opinion in Psychology, 35, 81-85. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2020.04.004
2020
Journal Article
Collective psychological ownership and the rise of reactionary counter‐movements defending the status quo
Selvanathan, Hema Preya, Lickel, Brian and Jetten, Jolanda (2020). Collective psychological ownership and the rise of reactionary counter‐movements defending the status quo. British Journal of Social Psychology, 60 (2) 12418, 587-609. doi: 10.1111/bjso.12418
2020
Journal Article
How mainstream and alternative media shape public attitudes toward social change: evidence from two panel studies during Malaysia’s democratic transition
Selvanathan, Hema Preya and Lickel, Brian (2020). How mainstream and alternative media shape public attitudes toward social change: evidence from two panel studies during Malaysia’s democratic transition. New Media and Society, 23 (12), 1-30. doi: 10.1177/1461444820954355
2020
Journal Article
An integrative framework on the impact of allies: how identity‐based needs influence intergroup solidarity and social movements
Selvanathan, Hema Preya, Lickel, Brian and Dasgupta, Nilanjana (2020). An integrative framework on the impact of allies: how identity‐based needs influence intergroup solidarity and social movements. European Journal of Social Psychology, 50 (6) ejsp.2697, 1344-1361. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.2697
2020
Journal Article
Modes of ingroup identification and notions of justice provide distinct pathways to normative and nonnormative collective action in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Selvanathan, Hema Preya and Leidner, Bernhard (2020). Modes of ingroup identification and notions of justice provide distinct pathways to normative and nonnormative collective action in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 64 (9), 002200272090766-1788. doi: 10.1177/0022002720907660
2020
Journal Article
A large-scale test of the link between intergroup contact and support for social change
Hässler, Tabea, Ullrich, Johannes, Bernardino, Michelle, Shnabel, Nurit, Laar, Colette Van, Valdenegro, Daniel, Sebben, Simone, Tropp, Linda R., Visintin, Emilio Paolo, González, Roberto, Ditlmann, Ruth K., Abrams, Dominic, Selvanathan, Hema Preya, Branković, Marija, Wright, Stephen, von Zimmermann, Jorina, Pasek, Michael, Aydin, Anna Lisa, Žeželj, Iris, Pereira, Adrienne, Lantos, Nóra Anna, Sainz, Mario, Glenz, Andreas, Oberpfalzerová, Hana, Bilewicz, Michal, Kende, Anna, Kuzawinska, Olga, Otten, Sabine, Maloku, Edona ... Ugarte, Luiza Mugnol (2020). A large-scale test of the link between intergroup contact and support for social change. Nature Human Behaviour, 4 (4), 380-386. doi: 10.1038/s41562-019-0815-z
2020
Journal Article
How economic inequality fuels the rise and persistence of the Yellow Vest movement
Jetten, Jolanda, Mols, Frank and Selvanathan, Hema Preya (2020). How economic inequality fuels the rise and persistence of the Yellow Vest movement. International Review of Social Psychology, 33 (1) 2, 1-12. doi: 10.5334/irsp.356
2020
Book Chapter
Polarisation
Crimston, Charlie R. and Selvanathan, Hema Preya (2020). Polarisation. Together apart: the psychology of COVID-19. (pp. 107-112) edited by Jolanda Jetten, Stephen D. Reicher, S. Alexander Haslam and Tegan Cruwys. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications. doi: 10.4135/9781529751680.n18
2020
Book Chapter
Multiracial in Malaysia: categories, classification, and campur in contemporary everyday life
Reddy, Geetha and Selvanathan, Hema Preya (2020). Multiracial in Malaysia: categories, classification, and campur in contemporary everyday life. The Palgrave international handbook of mixed racial and ethnic classification. (pp. 649-668) edited by Zarine L. Rocha and Peter J. Aspinall. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-22874-3_34
2019
Journal Article
A field study around a racial justice protest on a college campus: the proximal impact of collective action on the social change attitudes of uninvolved bystanders
Selvanathan, Hema Preya and Lickel, Brian (2019). A field study around a racial justice protest on a college campus: the proximal impact of collective action on the social change attitudes of uninvolved bystanders. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 7 (1), 598-619. doi: 10.5964/jspp.v7i1.1063
2019
Journal Article
Wedialog.Net: A quantitative field test of the effects of online intergroup dialogue in promoting justice- versus harmony-oriented outcomes in Bosnia and Serbia
Selvanathan, Hema Preya, Leidner, Bernhard, Petrović, Nebojša, Prelić, Nedim, Ivanek, Ivan, Krugel, Johannes and Bjekić, Jovana (2019). Wedialog.Net: A quantitative field test of the effects of online intergroup dialogue in promoting justice- versus harmony-oriented outcomes in Bosnia and Serbia. Peace and Conflict, 25 (4), 287-299. doi: 10.1037/pac0000395
2019
Journal Article
The role of movement leaders in building intergroup solidarity for social change: a case of the electoral reform movement in Malaysia
Selvanathan, Hema Preya, Khoo, Ying Hooi and Lickel, Brian (2019). The role of movement leaders in building intergroup solidarity for social change: a case of the electoral reform movement in Malaysia. European Journal of Social Psychology, 50 (1) ejsp.2598, 224-238. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.2598
2019
Journal Article
Empowerment and threat in response to mass protest shape public support for a social movement and social change: a panel study in the context of the Bersih movement in Malaysia
Selvanathan, Hema Preya and Lickel, Brian (2019). Empowerment and threat in response to mass protest shape public support for a social movement and social change: a panel study in the context of the Bersih movement in Malaysia. European Journal of Social Psychology, 49 (2), 230-243. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.2502
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Hema Preya Selvanathan is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
At the cross-roads of change: Multiple group identities in social movements
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jolanda Jetten
-
Doctor Philosophy
Can We Handle the Heat? A Social Identity Analysis of Climate Concern and Action in Community Group Contexts
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jolanda Jetten
-
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the challenges and opportunities for achieving social equality in a diversifying society: A social identity approach.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jolanda Jetten
Completed supervision
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Why does the upper-class care? Explaining the involvement of the upper-class in actions for social equality
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jolanda Jetten
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Hema Preya Selvanathan directly for media enquiries about:
- allyship
- conflict
- protests
- reconciliation
- social change
- social movements
- solidarity
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