top of page

Kengthsagn Louis

I am a social psychologist studying the intertwined relationships among health, the self, others, and social contexts.

IMG_5474 v1.png

About Me

Welcome! I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, with a joint appointment in the African and African Diaspora Studies Program at Boston College. 

​

The research conducted in my lab (Self, Health, Identity, and Culture Lab) applies a socio-cultural-psychological lens to the relationships among health, the self, others, and social contexts to develop novel theories and robust interventions that can help lessen health disparities, improve public health, and promote healthier societies. The first line of research seeks to understand how the degree to which people assume their own health extends to others (what I call the Social Extension of Health Mindset) influences not only their own health and health behaviors, but also their stance on broader systemic changes, such as their support of universal healthcare policy. The second research line investigates how patients navigate potentially discriminatory interactions (e.g., doctor-patient relationships), and how these relationship dynamics can contribute to racial health disparities. We use multi-methods (e.g., experimental, qualitative, longitudinal, and natural language processing) to investigate how these processes unfold. 

​

Prior to joining Boston College, I received my PhD in Social Psychology from Stanford University where I worked with Dr. Alia Crum and Dr. Hazel Markus. I also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Skidmore College and worked as a lab manager in Dr. Sapna Cheryan’s research lab at the University of Washington. 

bottom of page