I joined the Department of Psychological Science at Ball State University in 1987 and am currently Professor of Psychological Science and Director of Undergraduate Studies. I am Past President of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology and past Secretary-Treasurer of the Midwestern Psychological Association. I am President of the Midwestern Psychological Association.

My research focuses on gender and how our beliefs about gender intersect with our beliefs about other groups. For example, much of my work has focused on attitudes toward and beliefs about gay men and lesbians and how these are linked to our attitudes and beliefs about men and women more generally. I am also interested in how our gender associated beliefs influence our beliefs about older adults. Another area of interest is measuring attitudes toward homosexuality.

Another area of interest is women's achievement and the factors and promote and hinder women's success, particularly in academics. I am particularly interested in what has been labeled the "chilly climate" for women and how that influences women's academic achievement.

A recent area of interest is on teaching stereotyping and prejudice and diversity and the difficulties faculty face in addressing those topics with their students.

Primary Interests:

Attitudes and Beliefs
Gender Psychology
Person Perception
Prejudice and Stereotyping
Sexuality, Sexual Orientation

Attitudes and Beliefs
Gender Psychology
Person Perception

Prejudice and Stereotyping
Sexuality, Sexual Orientation

Books:

Whitley, B. E., & Kite, M. E. (2010). The psychology of prejudice and discrimination (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

Journal Articles:

Balogh, D. W., Kite, M. E., Pickel, K. L., Canel, D., & Schroeder, J. (2003). The effects of delayed report and motive for reporting on perceptions of sexual harassment. Sex Roles, 48, 337-348.
Hyde, J. S., Hall, C. C. I., Fouad, N. A., Keita, G. P., Kite, M. E., Russo, N. F., & Brehm, S. S. (2002). Women in academe: The glass completely full? Comment in American Psychologist, 57, 1133-1134.
Kite, M. E. (2011). (Some) things are different now: An optimistic look at sexual prejudice. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 35, 517-522.
Kite, M. E. (1996). Age, gender, and occupational label: A test of social role theory. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 20, 361-374.
Kite, M. E., Russo, N. F., Brehm, S. S., Fouad, N. A., Hall, C. I., Hyde, J. S., & Keita, G. P. (2001). Women psychologists in academe: Mixed progress, unwarranted complacency. American Psychologist, 56, 1080-1098.
Kite, M. E., Stockdale, G. D., Whitley, B. E., Jr., & Johnson, B. T. (2005). Attitudes toward younger and older adults: An updated meta-analytic review. Journal of Social Issues, 61, 241-266.
Kite, M. E., & Whitley, B. E., Jr. (1996). Sex differences in attitudes toward homosexual persons, behaviors, and civil rights: A meta-analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22, 336-353.
LaMar, L., & Kite, M. E. (1998). Sex differences in attitudes toward gay men and lesbians: A multi-dimensional perspective. The Journal of Sex Research, 35, 189-196.

Other Publications:

Bowman, S., Kite, M. E., Branscombe, N. R., & Williams, S. (1999). Developmental relationships of Black Americans in the academy. In A. Murrell, R. Ely, & F. Crosby (Eds.), Mentoring dilemmas: Developmental relationships in multicultural corporations (pp. 21-46). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Kite, M. E. (2001). Changing times, changing gender roles: Who do we want women and men to be? In R. Unger (Ed.), Handbook of the psychology of women and gender (pp. 215-227). New York: Wiley.
Kite, M. E. (2001). Gender stereotypes. In J. Worrell (Ed.), Encyclopedia of gender (pp. 561-570). San Diego: Academic Press.
Kite, M. E., & Balogh, D. W. (1997). Warming trends: Improving the chilly campus climate. In N. Benokraitis (Ed.), Subtle sexism: Current practices and prospects for change (pp. 264-278). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Kite, M. E., Deaux, K., & Haines, E. (2008). Gender stereotypes. In F. Denmark & M. Paludi (Eds.), Handbook on the psychology of women (2nd ed. pp. 205-236). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.
Kite, M. E., & Wagner, L. S. (2002). Attitudes toward older and younger adults. In T. Nelson (Ed.), Ageism: Stereotyping and prejudice against older persons (pp. 129-161). Boston, MA: MIT Press.
Kite, M. E., & Whitley, B. E., Jr. (1998). Do heterosexual women and men differ in their attitudes toward homosexuality? A conceptual and methodological analysis. In G. M. Herek (Ed.), Psychological perspectives on lesbians and gay issues: Vol 4. Stigma and sexual orientation: Understanding prejudice against lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (pp. 39-61). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Littleford, L. N., & Kite, M. E. (2011). Sexual minorities in diverse cultures. In K. Keith (Ed.). Cross cultural psychology: Contemporary themes and perspectives (pp. 235-256). Oxford England: Blackwell.

Courses Taught:

Career Planning in Psychology
Psychology of Diversity
Psychology of Stereotyping and Prejudice
Research Methods
Social Psychology

Career Planning in Psychology
Psychology of Diversity
Psychology of Stereotyping and Prejudice

Research Methods
Social Psychology

Mary Kite
Department of Psychological Science
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306
United States

Phone: (765) 285-8197
Fax: (765) 285-1702