I research how culture influences intergroup relations within organizations and society.

Using experimental methods and observational datasets, I conduct rigorous research aimed at understanding “on the ground” social problems. I study how seemingly objective, neutral, and even positive cultural defaults (e.g., U.S. individualism) contribute to tensions between groups. My goal is not only to illuminate the consequences of cultural defaults in shaping our individual choices and beliefs, but also to demonstrate how cultural defaults influence broader group dynamics in organizations and society.

I earned my B.F.A., cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2010, completed Columbia University’s post-baccalaureate certificate program in Psychology in 2013, and earned my Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Washington in 2021. Prior to joining Yale, I was a post-doctoral research scholar at Columbia Business School.

Learn more about my research here or by emailing me, adriana.germano@yale.edu.