Karen L. Blair, PhD

I'm a bit of an anomaly among psychology researchers - but in the best of ways. Instead of being firmly planted in one field of psychological research, my research cuts across various fields, including Health Psychology, Social Psychology, Cross-Cultural Psychology and LGBTQ Psychology. My main area of research is directed at promoting the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ individuals everywhere. To do this, I study relationships, social support, stigma, prejudice, psychophysiology, sexuality and sexual health. I've researched the health implications of having one's romantic relationship approved, the consequences of misleading HIV drug advertisements, attitudes towards sexual minorities in different countries, and experiences of discrimination within LGBTQ communities. I conduct much of my research online, allowing participants from all over the world to share their experiences and ensuring that my findings are relevant to more than just your average college student! My research has been funded by the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association's Lesbian Health Fund, the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. I am currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at St. Francis Xavier University, in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.

July 2013