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Nao Hagiwara, Ph.D.

Dr. Nao Hagiwara

Associate Professor
Health Psychology
808 W Franklin, rm 301
nhagiwara@vcu.edu
(804) 828-6822

Associate Professor (tenured)
Health Psychology (primary), Social Psychology (secondary)
Ph.D. (2010), Michigan State University

Website

Discrimination and Health Research Lab

Research Interests

The core goal of my research program is to develop theory-driven interventions that are designed to reduce racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare and health and ultimately promote social equity. I ground my health disparities research in social psychology theories of intergroup bias and examine mechanisms through which stereotyping (cognitive component of bias), prejudice (affective component), and discrimination (behavioral component) contribute to the well-documented racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare and health. My research is carried out in both laboratory and naturalistic settings.

Select Publications

Hagiwara, N., Kron, F. W., Scerbo, M. W., & Watson, G. S. (2020). A call for grounding implicit bias training in clinical and translational frameworks. The Lancet, 395(10234), 1457-1460.
Hagiwara, N., Elston Lafata J., Mezuk, B., Vrana, S. R., & Fetters, M. (2019). Detecting implicit racial bias in provider communication behaviors to reducedisparities in healthcare: Challenges, solutions, and future directions for provider communication training. Patient Education and Counseling, 102(9), 1738-1743.
Hagiwara, N., Dovidio, J. F., Eggly, S., & Penner, L. A. (2016). The effects of racial attitudes on affect and engagement in racially discordant medical interactions between non-Black physicians and Black patients. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 19, 509-527.
Hagiwara, N., Penner, L. A., Gonzalez, R., Eggly, S., Dovidio, J. F., Gaertner, S. L., West, T., & Albrecht, T. L. (2013). Racial attitudes, physician-patient talk time ratio, and adherence in racially discordant medical interactions. Social Science & Medicine, 87, 123-131.
Hagiwara, N., Kashy, D. A., & Cesario, J. (2012). Independent effects of skin tone and facial features on Whites’ affective reactions to Blacks. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48, 892-898.
Hagiwara, N., Slatcher, R. B., Eggly, S., & Penner, L. A. (2017). Physician racial bias and word use during racially discordant medical interactions. Health Communication, 32, 401-408.
Hagiwara, N., & *Dent, R. (2016). Patient-physician communication during racially discordant medical interactions: Limitations with the current coding systems. Testing, Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 23, 511-529.
Hagiwara, N., Penner, L. A., Gonzalez, R., Eggly, S., Dovidio, J. F., Gaertner, S. L., West, T., & Albrecht, T. L. (2013). Racial attitudes, physician-patient talk time ratio, and adherence in racially discordant medical interactions. Social Science & Medicine, 87, 123-131.
Penner, L. A., Hagiwara, N., Eggly, S., Dovidio, J. F., Gaertner, S. L., & Albrecht, T. L. (2013). Health and health care disparities among racial/ethnic minorities: A social psychological analysis. European Review of Social Psychology, 24, 70-122.
Hagiwara, N., Kashy, D. A., & Cesario, J. (2012). Independent effects of skin tone and facial features on Whites' affective reactions to Blacks. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48, 892-898.

Recent Courses

  • Applications of Statistics, undergraduate level
  • Social Psychology, undergraduate level
  • Social Psychology, graduate level

Recent Grants

Racial disparities in cancer genetic counseling encounters in the naturalistic clinical setting

Amount: $3,007,702
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: NIH/NCI
Period: August 2022-July 2027
Number: R01 CA263501

Racial disparities in pain care: A comprehensive integration of patient- and provider-level mechanisms with dyadic communication processes using a mixed-methods research design

Amount: $2,695,622
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: NIH/NINR
Period: September 2022-June 2027
Number: R01 NR020030

Unveiling the role of physician implicit bias and communication behaviors in dissatisfaction, mistrust, and nonadherence in Black patients with Type 2 diabetes

Amount: $1,705,976
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: NIH/NIDDK
Period: July 2017-June 2021
Number: R01 DK112009

The role of racial attitudes in medical interactions and health disparities.

Amount: $148,048.
Role: Principal Investigator
Source: NIH/NINR
Period: February 2012-January 2014
Number: R03 NR013249

Recent Awards

  • Kales Award, Karmanos Cancer Institute, 2014
  • Distinguished Poster Presentation, Community Networks Program Centers (CNPC) Program Meeting, National Cancer Institute, 2012
  • Diversity in Research Award, Society for Personality and Social Psychology pre-conference, Social Personality Health Network, 2023

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