About

Dr. George Gushue is the head of the Social Cognition and Career Lab, which is housed in the department of Counseling Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. His lab consists of a group of passionate researchers and students who focus on understanding the motivations behind individuals acting without prejudice, how clinicians form perceptions of clients based on identifying information, group dynamics, and the career development of both adolescents and adults. The lab's work encompasses a broad range of topics related to social cognition and career psychology, aiming to explore the psychological processes that influence social behavior and career trajectories. Dr. Gushue's leadership of this lab highlights his commitment to advancing research in these areas and fostering a collaborative environment for students and researchers interested in these important psychological and social issues.

Research topics

• Sociology
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Social psychology
• Gender studies
• Clinical psychology
• Cartography
• Psychiatry
• Geography

Selected publications

• College-aged Latinas: Gender roles, self-efficacy, and career search activities.

  Journal of Latinx Psychology · 2025-02-20

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Developing critical consciousness in psychology training: Two models of motivation

  PsycEXTRA Dataset · 2024-01-01

  dataset1st authorCorresponding

  <Abstract>This study was designed to explore two sets of motivational dynamics which may facilitate acquisition of critical conscious by psychologists in training. (PsycExtra Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)</Abstract>

  PublisherDOI

• Promoting African American Activism: Experiences of Racism-Related Stress and Spirituality

  Journal of Black Psychology · 2021 · 6 citations

  • Sociology
  • Psychology
  • Social psychology

  This study investigates how spirituality, psychological orientation to religion, and racism-related stress are associated with African American activism. Measures of Race-Related Stress, Quest Religious Orientation, Fundamentalism Religious Orientation, and Intrinsic Spirituality were used as exogenous variables. African American Activism was the endogenous variable. Results based on a sample of 148 self-identified African American adults revealed that quest religious orientation, intrinsic spirituality, and racism-related stress were positively associated with activism-related behaviors, while fundamentalist religious orientation was negatively but not significantly associated with activism-related behaviors. Paths of a multiple regression model were analyzed using Mplus version 8. Findings shed light on the interplay of spiritual coping resources and the personal impact of racism in mobilizing an activist response to oppression.

  PublisherDOI

• Awareness, social cognition, and commitment: Developing a social justice orientation in psychology training programs.

  Journal of Counseling Psychology · 2021 · 12 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Sociology
  • Psychology
  • Social psychology

  This study investigates how the awareness of social inequities and racism may serve as a foundation for psychology trainees' social justice self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations, interests, and commitment. Using the social-cognitive justice developmental framework proposed by Miller et al. (2009), a total of 222 participants were recruited from accredited applied psychology programs across the United States. Participants completed measures assessing their levels of two dimensions of critical consciousness: Egalitarianism and awareness of inequality (Diemer et al., 2017), their colorblind racial attitudes (Neville et al., 2000), and their social justice self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and commitment (Miller et al., 2009). A hypothesized path model was fit to the data. Alternative models were also considered. Results indicated that participants who endorsed egalitarianism and were more aware of social inequities showed greater awareness of racism and, in turn, were more likely to endorse a higher orientation and commitment to social justice. Limitations and implications for future research and training are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

  PublisherDOI

• Racial triangulation and shifting standards in mental health assessments

  Journal of Counseling & Development · 2021 · 3 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Sociology
  • Political Science
  • Psychology

  Abstract This study investigated the presence of racial bias in mental health assessments among White trainees and clinicians using the shifting standards paradigm (Biernat, 2003) and the racial triangulation framework (Kim, 1999). A total of 181 White participants viewed one of three case vignettes, all of which were identical except for the race of a fictitious client named Karl. Participants completed a clinical impressions inventory (Gushue, 2004) and the internal causality subscale from the Causation Dimension Scale (Russell, 1982). Results indicated differences in examiner ratings based on Karl's race. Black Karl was rated as significantly less symptomatic, compared to White or East Asian Karl, consistent with the shifting standards paradigm (Biernat, 2003; Gushue, 2004). No difference was found in symptom severity ratings between White Karl and East Asian Karl. Symptoms were also more likely to be attributed to internal factors with Black Karl than with White or East Asian Karl.

  PublisherDOI

• Anticipation of racism and sexism: Factors related to setting career goals for urban youth of color.

  Journal of Counseling Psychology · 2019-06-06 · 26 citations

  article

  This study examined the effects of anticipated racial and gender discrimination on variables related to the development of career goals. For a sample of 195 urban youth of color we used path analysis to test a career decision self-efficacy and goal-setting model informed by the social cognitive career theory self-management model of career exploration and decision-making behavior (Lent & Brown, 2013). Specifically, we examined how students' anticipation of racial and gender discrimination in the workplace were related to the process variables of career decision self-efficacy and outcome expectations, and how self-efficacy and outcome expectations were related to setting clear, viable goals. The results indicate different pathways for boys and girls. For boys, an anticipated hostile racial employment climate was negatively related to career decision self-efficacy, with career decision self-efficacy and vocational outcome expectations positively related to goals. For girls, an anticipated hostile racial employment climate was negatively related to vocational outcome expectations, with vocational outcome expectations positively related to career goals. Analyses showed that for boys, career decision-making self-efficacy fully mediated the effects of racial discrimination on vocational outcome expectations, and vocational outcome expectations partially mediated the effects of career decision-making efficacy on goals. While career decision making was related to vocational outcome expectations, there were no indirect effects for girls. For this sample, anticipated employment-related gender discrimination was not significantly related to career decision self-efficacy or outcome expectations among either boys or girls. Implications for training, practice, and research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

  PublisherDOI

• Testing an Integrative Contextual Career Development Model With Adolescents From High‐Poverty Urban Areas

  The Career Development Quarterly · 2018-09-01 · 9 citations

  articleSenior author

  Variations in the economic recovery rate across the United States have led to even greater chasms that separate the employed, unemployed, and underemployed (DeSilver, ). Therefore, understanding and supporting the career development of future generations is critical—especially for those who live outside the context of social privilege. The authors examined the applicability of the integrative contextual model of career development (ICM; Lapan, ) to a sample of 220 adolescents (129 boys, 91 girls) from a high‐poverty urban area. Results indicated that a canonical variate comprising foundational ICM skills (e.g., career exploration, goal setting) predicted a variate composed of ICM outcomes (e.g., self‐efficacy, vocational identity), thus supporting the usefulness of the ICM framework for this population. The skill of setting viable career goals was an especially strong predictor of outcomes. Implications for career counseling with adolescents living in high‐poverty urban areas and directions for future research are discussed.

  PublisherDOI

• Microaggressions and Ethnic Identity in the Career Development of Latina College Students

  The Counseling Psychologist · 2018-05-01 · 37 citations

  articleCorresponding

  Counseling psychologists have noted the importance of examining the intersection of sociocultural identity and vocational psychology. In our study, we considered this intersection in a sample of 202 Latina college and graduate students from a perspective informed by social cognitive career theory. We examined how ethnic identity and experiences of self-reported microagressions were related to career decision self-efficacy and outcome expectations, including relationships to both positive and negative outcome expectations in our model. Findings indicated that higher endorsement of ethnic identity was positively related to career decision self-efficacy and to negative outcome expectations, whereas higher endorsement of experiences of microaggressions was related to lower career-decision self-efficacy, greater negative outcome expectations, and lower positive outcome expectations. Career decision self-efficacy was associated with lower negative outcome expectations and higher positive outcome expectations. Indirect relationships and two alternative models were also explored. We discuss implications for future research and career counseling with Latinas.

  PublisherDOI

• Latina/o College Students' Perceptions of Career Barriers: Influence of Ethnic Identity, Acculturation, and Self‐Efficacy

  Journal of Counseling & Development · 2017-03-16 · 34 citations

  articleSenior author

  Path analysis was used to explore the tenets of social cognitive career theory with a sample of 357 Latina/o college students. A modified path model revealed that career decision self‐efficacy (CDSE) mediated the influence of ethnic identity and acculturation level on the perception of career barriers. The findings point to the role of ethnic identity in augmenting Latina/o college students' CDSE and increasing awareness about career barriers. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.

  PublisherDOI

• Motivation and color-blind racial attitudes among White psychology trainees.

  Training and Education in Professional Psychology · 2017-03-13 · 8 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Robert T. Carter

  Boston College

  7 shared

• Lauren D. Fisher

  6 shared

• Brenda X. Mejia-Smith

  Columbia University Irving Medical Center

  5 shared

• Madonna G. Constantine

  4 shared

• Luisa Bonifacio

  Columbia University

  4 shared

• Brenda X. Mejia

  4 shared

• Lauren M. Weitzman

  University of Utah

  4 shared

• Daniel T. Sciarra

  3 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Counseling Psychology

  Teachers College, Columbia University

• B.A., Philosophy/English Literature

  Fordham University