Jason Nier is a social psychologist whose research focuses primarily on intergroup relations. As a result, he is concerned with the psychological processes that are responsible for prejudice and discrimination, and the processes through which intergroup biases may be reduced. Within this broad area he has several specific research interests:
(1) The assessment of intergroup attitudes: What different techniques can be used to measure individuals' attitudes toward different groups? What are the fundamental dimensions of intergroup beliefs?
(2) Reducing intergroup bias: Through what psychological processes can prejudice and discrimination towards those who belong to different groups be reduced?
(3) Contemporary forms of discrimination and the enforcement of civil rights laws: What are the implications of social psychological research for Title VII and other anti-discrimination laws?
(4) The social psychology of collective action: How are collective acts perceived? Under what circumstances does collective behavior improve (or worsen) intergroup attitudes? How do collective acts influence an individual's identity as a group member?
Professor Nier also co-authored a book chapter that won the Gordon Allport Intergroup Relations Prize, awarded annually to the best paper in the field of intergroup relations.