Current Research Projects
- The REAR Scale measures overall resistance within four specific areas (Awareness and Relational Resistance; Interpersonal Confrontation; Participation in Resistance Activities and Organizations; and Leadership for Resistance). Available here.
- Using the REAR scale we are examining how resistance affects experiences of psychological distress from racism, and well-being in multiple racialized groups (Asian Americans, Black Americans, Latiné Americans, Native Americans, SWANA/MENA Americans), considering the roles of different kinds of racism and different aspects of resistance.
- A related study is analyzing answers to open ended questions to understand how people of color in multiple racialized groups attempt to resist or challenge racism, their motivations and intentions, perceptions of effectiveness, and barriers and supports for resisting racism.
Asian American Conscientization
We are interested in the ways that Asian Americans develop critical consciousness that fosters reflexivity, solidarity, and resistance praxis. This kind of conscientization is particularly relevant to Asian Americans, given our complex positionality of simultaneously experiencing oppression and relative privilege within racial hierarchies and related susceptibility to internalized and lateral racism. Projects in this area are in early stages of development.
Visioning Just and Authentic Relationships
We are exploring the process and effects of relational visioning to reduce polarization and “divide and conquer” dynamics through a qualitative study. Increasing polarization and challenges to solidarity from “divide and conquer” relates to ways people on both “sides” feel marginalized, disenfranchised, and fearful of loss or abuse. Psychologically, both the felt individual experience of alienation and increasing social divides encourage us to define ourselves by differentiation rather than similarity, and by what we are against rather than what we are for. We then disdain and distance from “them” and see others as increasingly “not us,” the first step towards dehumanization. Psychological research suggests we can overcome these polarizing processes through values clarification, stepping away from an us/them stance, focusing on possibilities of authentic connections and care for others, and recognizing that our wellbeing is interdependent.
This project brings together psychological understandings of the dynamics of developing authentic relationships across differences with Futures Studies’ processes of visioning possible desired futures, which affects ways we understand our current selves, contexts, and relationships, and how we perform and seek out possibilities for change. We aim to understand what individuals from diverse backgrounds and positionalities envision as a positive, just, relational experience, and what they believe that they, themselves, can do to advance such a vision. Specific research questions include:
- What does justice within relationships mean and what are the components of such relational justice, including both how individuals would like to be treated by others and how individuals would treat others to enact justice?
- What is the process of developing positive relationships? How might individuals personally and society broadly move toward developing their vision of more positive and just relationships? What personal actions, responsibilities, intentions, and challenges may be needed and/or experienced when advancing their vision?
We are currently engaged in a piloting phase of this study.
Recent Presentations Including Current Team Members
Chan, F.B., Sabas, M.T.A., Soni, S., Andoni, L., Hand, A., Robinson, R., Farhan., S., Cherry, J., Bridges, B., & Suyemoto, K.L. (2025). Psychology students for social justice: Actions and reflections from margin to center. American Psychological Association Annual Convention in Denver, CO, United States.
Fang, P., Tang, T., Chear, K., Wong-Lee, R., Sabas, M.T.A., & Suyemoto, K.L. (2025). Refining the ‘antidote to oppression’: A systematic review of Critical Consciousness measures. Poster presented at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention in Denver, CO, United States.
Soni, S., Chan, F. B. Suyemoto, K. L. Estrellado, J. E., Sabas, M. T., Wong-Lee, R. Fang, P., & Nakamura, L. (2025) From imposters to infiltrators: How students and faculty can foster Asian American activism. Interactive session presented at the Asian American Psychological Association conference, Denver, CO.
Fang, P., Sabas, M.T.A., Wong-Lee, R., Soni, S., Chear, K., Tang, T., & Suyemoto, K.L. (2025). Making meaning, resisting racism: The moderating role of critical reflection on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being for Asian Americans. Poster presented at the Asian American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Denver, CO, United States.
- Kyle Chear, Sabrina Chen, & Miah Theresse Sabas: Unpacking the impact: Student reflections on Asian American Psychology and transformative learning
- Robyn Wong-Lee: Learning to teach, teaching to transform: Pedagogical lessons and reflections on Asian American Psychology as a teaching assistant
- The Asian American Feminist Psychologist Collaborative: Teaching for liberation and community: Intentional planning and developing content for Asian American Psychology courses.
Wong-Lee, R., Fang, P. Sabas, M. T., Soni, S., Chear, K., Suyemoto, K. L. (2025, April). In K.L. Suyemoto (Chair), Beyond the west coast: Geographical shifts in Asian American racialization and solidarity. [Roundtable] Association for Asian American Studies conference, Boston, MA
Sabas, M.T.A, Soni, S., Fang, P., Wong-Lee, R., Srivastava, S., & Suyemoto, K.L. (2024, October). Unpacking the potential buffering effect of collective self-esteem on Asian American racism-related stress and psychological distress [Poster Presentation]. Asian American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Atlanta, GA, United States
Suyemoto, K. L., Mushiana, S., Sabas, J. T. (2024, October). Visioning authentic and just relationships: An experiential activity for building community. [Presentation] Asian American Psychological Association conference, Atlanta, GA.
Sabas, M.T.A, Nakamura, L., Chan, F.B., & Suyemoto, K.L. (2024, June). Solidarity and activism for Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian people [Poster Presentation]. 2nd Convention of Asian Pacific Feminist Psychologists, Honolulu, HI, United States.
Suyemoto, K. L. (Chair), Sabas, J. T., Nguyen, T. P., Kim, G. S., Song, M. H. (2024, April). (Dis)Connections between Asian American Studies and Psychology: Revisiting 20 Years of Discussion. [Roundtable] Association for Asian American Studies conference, Seattle, WA