The social psychological study of stigma, self/identity, and social issues represent the overarching themes of her research. She has pursued these topics in two separate lines of research (1) the racial and ethnic identity and categorization of atypical minorities such as those who are racially ambiguous, multiracial, or multicultural and (2) the stigmatizing nature of gender norms with a special emphasis on the consequences of stigma for women’s health and close relationships.