Mikey Pasek
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mikeypasek.bsky.social
Mikey Pasek
@mikeypasek.bsky.social
Assistant professor of social psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago. I study identity-based division and how to reduce it, with a focus on ethno-religious conflict. Cinnabon enthusiast. michaelhpasek.com
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
We are doing a pilot survey about how prospective PhD students in PSYCHOLOGY make decisions about applying to grad programs. If you are thinking of applying to a program in the future, and have 2-5 minutes to spare, could you take this survey? 🫶

northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
November 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
A growing number of white progressive faith leaders are entering Democratic races ahead of 2026, aiming to counter the Christian right.
PRRI finds that Trump took 85% of the white evangelical vote and 57% of the white mainline/non-evangelical Protestant vote in the 2024 presidential election.
"Shocking" number of white clergy run as Democrats in 2026
"We're tracking about 30 white clergy who are running for office as Democrats around the country."
www.axios.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
“For years, Christian supremacist ideology was coursing through American conservatism. Now it—& its antisemitism—is out in the open, in the halls of power & scaring Jews.” 11/4/25 (*Incredible* article discussing Tucker, Nick Fuentes, Heritage, Doug Wilson & his protégés, Yoram Hazony, & NatCon.) 1/
November 9, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
In a mater of months the richest man alive, who was not elected, has cut USAID and now 700,000 are dead. The billionaire president is doing everything possible not to give 42 million people access to food. Just in case you’re wondering what the history books will focus on.
November 9, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
40 men Trump sent to CECOT tell the NYT they were beaten, tortured, and sexually assaulted. The details are worse than you can imagine.

We can’t let them get away with this. Miller and the other architects of this sadism need to go to prison.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
‘You Are All Terrorists’: Four Months in a Salvadoran Prison
www.nytimes.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:05 AM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
In my opinion, the very best research in the social & behavioral sciences is often at the interface of applied and basic research.

As my work has more into this intersection, it's attracted fantastic students and generated higher impact projects that people outside the field actually care about.
November 8, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
According to reports, ICE officers are being told to trust the results of a faulty facial recognition app over evidence of citizenship.

The Trump administration is steamrolling our due process and privacy rights to support its mass deportation agenda.
You Can't Refuse To Be Scanned by ICE's Facial Recognition App, DHS Document Says
Photos captured by Mobile Fortify will be stored for 15 years, regardless of immigration or citizenship status, the document says.
www.404media.co
November 4, 2025 at 12:37 AM
So much for the thoughts and prayers party.
November 8, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
I honestly don't understand why he's so determined to withhold SNAP.
NEW: Trump is asking Supreme Court to act by 9:30pm tonight to block the ruling that requires SNAP payments to be made.
November 8, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
Two new studies use Christmas - a religious event characterized by transient yet considerable changes in people’s social, cultural, and demographic environments - to examine the role of environment in shaping people’s implicit biases doi.org/10.1525/coll...
The Complex Ring of Jingle Bells: The Association Between Christmas and Implicit Bias Towards Racial, Religious, and Sexual Minorities
Every year, billions of people celebrate Christmas all over the world – a religious event that is characterized by transient yet considerable changes in people’s social, cultural, and demographic envi...
doi.org
November 7, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
November 7, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
Universal swing in action: "What we saw last night was a directional shift toward Democrats in 99.8% of counties that held partisan elections." www.gelliottmorris.com/p/seven-data...
November 5, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
People are lazy--except when they're watching other people work hard.

My student Emily Zohar just published her first first-authored paper, and it reveals something surprising about effort and social norms. /1

osf.io/preprints/ps...
OSF
osf.io
November 5, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
I can't stop thinking about how this program helped me survive into adulthood and the millions who will not have that access.
He's blatantly defying court orders AND spreading blatantly false information about SNAP benefits.

Yes, SNAP helps millions. But recipients have to jump through hoops to access assistance that often falls short of their needs. Like, by not covering diapers. Or leaving gaps at the end of the month.
November 4, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
On election day, I wanna announce that I am recruiting social psych PhD students for my lab at UIC. My lab focuses on racial identities (esp Asian, Latino, MENA Americans) and intra-minority conflict/ coalition. So please tell your students to pick me! All details on my website: www.pbandjlab.com
November 4, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
November 4, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
Totally baffling why Fuentes and his gang of antisemites are making inroads with their fellow travelers in the GOP mainstream. Inexplicable. If only a pundit could pierce the veil.
“Any Jewish person that votes for Zohran Mamdani, a proven and self professed JEW HATER, is a stupid person!!!”
November 4, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
Our meta-analysis of 60 studies which was published in @mediapsychmep.bsky.social was covered by @spspnews.bsky.social
Representation in Media Can Deepen or Undo Prejudice | SPSP spsp.org/news/charact...
@stewartcoles.bsky.social @rcgd-isr.bsky.social
Representation in Media Can Deepen or Undo Prejudice | SPSP
From headlines to hit shows, media portrayals shape how people see others outside their own group.
spsp.org
November 4, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
I am so upset.

Last week Time Magazine solicited a piece from me on Zohran Mamdani & anti-Muslim hate. I pitched a framing re the dehumanization of Muslims & how Mamdani’s inclusive, socialist campaign in its content resists that. They agreed. I wrote the piece. 1/
To be asked to write about racism only to be racially aggressed in the editing process is a new level unlocked I have to say.
November 3, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
if there was a rich person with the will, you could build the most incredible news organization that has ever existed just from the wreckage of this year alone.
I was laid off from Teen Vogue today along with multiple other staffers, and today is my last day.

certainly more to come from me when the dust has settled more, but to my knowledge, after today, there will be no politics staffers at Teen Vogue.
November 3, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
And here's the paper, led by the incredible Silvia Mari, in which we find that stronger beliefs in traditional gender roles is associated with less voting intention across 18 countries.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
November 3, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
Thrilled and honored that my book Religion for Realists was given the 2025 Distinguished Book Award by @sssreligion.bsky.social last night.

It’s vital that we understand religion and religious people. The social sciences are remiss to ignore either.

Hire more religion specialists.
November 2, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Reposted by Mikey Pasek
Evidently there was an Auschwitz-themed float in a Halloween parade in Pennsylvania.

The float was for a Catholic school, and to their credit the church immediately disavowed it.

Thing is, I don’t think high school kids did this entirely on their own. I’m guessing parents had to be involved.
November 1, 2025 at 5:31 AM