School of Psychology Faculty-Student Collaboration Leads to Publication in Peer-Reviewed Journal 

Dr. Hui Zhang and Dr. Matthew Stapleton of the University of Indianapolis School of Psychology, along with alumni Jonathan Thang ’22 and Bradley Waggoner ’24, have successfully published their research article, “Navigating Racial Discrimination and Negotiating Place: A Phenomenological Analysis of Chinese Americans’ Conversations With Friends,” in the Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology.

The study explores the experiences of racial discrimination among second-generation and higher Chinese Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing how these experiences are shaped by place and co-constructed through conversations with friends.

“The study examines how second-generation and higher Chinese Americans experienced the places they traveled through and visited during the pandemic, which were co-constructed through friendships,” Dr. Zhang explained. “It shows how places once considered ‘home’—like Chinatowns, campuses, or transit systems—became spaces of alienation and danger during the pandemic. In this study, we integrated the ethnic identity developmental and integration model with the phenomenology of place, to focus on how meaning-making, physical context, and identity development are intertwined. Importantly, the paper positions friendships as spaces for mutual empowerment, emotional support, and collective action. We were hoping to challenge prevailing narratives that overlook the importance of peer-based ethnic socialization. We were also hoping to depict place as more than just a container and as an existential condition of thriving.”

As the UIndy team met with the twelve participants and listened to their stories, one thing in particular stood out to Dr. Zhang: their resilience. In response to the struggles they faced during the pandemic, they created support groups, awareness panels, and educational media, ultimately strengthening their communities and their own support networks.

“This community-centered project focuses on the lived experiences of Chinese Americans during the pandemic and how they talked about these experiences with close friends,” said Dr. Zhang. “Their conversations helped us understand how place, embodiment, and identity intersect in complex ways for marginalized communities. I enjoyed collaborating on this project with Dr. Matthew Stapleton and students Jonathan Thang and Bradley Waggoner. We really appreciate the participants for sharing their powerful stories with us.”