Professor Nicholas Camp studies the social psychology of racial inequality, focusing on where institutions and individuals come into contact. Nick's main program of research examines the role routine police-citizen encounters play in undermining police-community trust, and how these disparities can be addressed, combining analyses of officer-worn body camera footage with community surveys. In other research, he examines the psychological consequences of racial inequities for how individuals consider people, places, and policies.
In a recent interview with Scientific American, he describes ways to reduce police antagonism.
[Excerpt from interview]
Interviewer: "What is the evidence that police officers are harsher toward Black drivers?"
Professor Camp: "We often think about body camera recordings as highlighting specific instances of police violence or providing evidence in cases against police officers. But they can also tell us a lot about interactions that do not make the news. For example, by analyzing body camera footage from about 1,000 traffic stops in Oakland, Calif., we found that police officers use less respectful language with Black drivers than with white drivers."
