Block, Caryn J. (cjb17)

Caryn J. Block

Professor of Psychology and Education
212-678-3252

Office Location:

226 Thmps

Office Hours:

Monday from 1:30-2:30 and 5:30-6:30

Educational Background

  • Ph.D., Industrial/Organizational Psychology, New York University
  • M.A., Psychology, New York University
  • B.S., Psychology, University of Illinois - Urbana

Scholarly Interests

  • The long term effects of stereotype threat in the workplace
  • The influence of race and gender stereotypes on perceptions of leaders
  • Microaggressions in the workplace
  • How leaders can create inclusive climates for their teams

Selected Publications

Block, C.J., Cruz, M., Bairley, M, Harel-Marian, T. & Roberson, L (In press).  Inside the prism of an invisible threat: Shining a light on the hidden work of contending with systemic stereotype threat in STEM fields. Journal of Vocational Behavior.

Kim, J., Block, C.J. & Nguyen, D. (In press).  What's visible is my race.  What's invisible is my contribution: Understanding the effects of race and colorblind racial attitudes on the perceived impact of microaggressions toward Asians in the workplace.  Journal of Vocational Behavior. 

Kim, J., Nguyen, D. & Block, C.J. (2018).  The 360 degree experience of workplace microaggressions: Who commits them? How do individuals respond? What are the consequences? In C.M. Capodilupo, K.L. Nadal, D.P Rivera, D.W. Sue & G.C. Torino (Eds.)  Microaggression Theory - Influence and Implications.

Block, C. J. and Noumair, D. A. (2017). Introduction: Understanding diversity dynamics in systems: Social equality as an organization change issue. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 51, 150-155.

Dutt, K., Pfaff, D., Bernstein, A. , Dillard, J. & Block, C.J.  (2016). Gender differences in letters             of recommendations for postdoctoral fellowships in geoscience.  Nature Geoscience, 9, 805- 809.

Bergeron, D.M., Ostroff, C., Schroeder, & Block, C.J. (2014).  The dual effects of organizational citizenship behavior: Relationships to research productivity and career outcomes in academe.  Human Performance, 27, 99-128. 

Buontempo, G., Matthews, C.T., & Block, C.J. (2013).  Sex and gender role identification as predictors of relational and
 independent approaches to work.  
Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 43(3), 507-514.

Block, C.J., Aumann, K. & Chelin, A. (2012).  Assessing stereotypes of Black and White managers: A diagnostic ratio approach.  Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 42, S1, E128-E149.

Liberman, B.E., Block, C.J., & Koch, S.M. (2011) Diversity trainer preconceptions: The Effects of trainer race and gender on perceptions of diversity trainer effectiveness.  Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 33, 279-293.

Block, C.J., Koch, S.M., Liberman, B.E., Merriweather, T.J., & Roberson, L. (2011).  Contending with stereotype threat at work:  A model of long-term responses.  The Counseling Psychologist, 39(4), 570-600.

Caryn Block is a Professor in the Department of Organization and Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University. Professor Block is known for her work on diversity issues in organizations. Her recent work focuses on understanding the experience of women leaders in predominately male-dominated careers and the strategies that they use to be successful in these environments. Her publications also examine the influence of gender and racial stereotypes on how leaders are perceived by others, and the influence of racial and gender identity in organizational contexts. Dr. Block has collaborated with researchers at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to examine the impact of perceived racial discrimination at work on adjustment, and with researchers at the ADVANCE Project of the National Science Foundation examining the long-term effects of stereotype threat on women scientists. Professor Block is also a faculty member in the Columbia Business School, Executive Education Programs that focus on leadership development. In addition, she coaches executives using multi-rater feedback on improving their capacity to lead. In her consulting and executive coaching practice, she has worked with senior leaders on diversity issues, process consultation and organizational learning. She has worked with groups in the United States, Asia, Israel, and Australia. Professor Block received her masters and doctoral degrees in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from New York University.


Dorothy Harlow Award Runner-up for the Best Paper, Gender, Diversity and Organizations Division of the Academy of Management (Castro, Block, Ferraris & Roberson, 2013).

Paper chosen as 1 of 6 articles to represent Industrial/Organizational Psychology in the American Psychological Association Online Continuing Education Program (Block, Koch, Liberman, Merriweather & Roberson, 2011).  http://www.apa.org/education/ce/1360299.aspx

Paper published early in a Spotlight Issue of Journal of Applied Social Psychology  that represents excellent work in Organizational Psychology (Block, Aumann & Chelin, 2012).

Paper chosen as one of the “Best of Science Careers” in 2010 (Pfirman, Block, Bell, Roberson, & Culligan, 2010).

Sponsor Doctoral Dissertation (Diane Bergeron) winner of Best Paper Based on a Dissertation Award of the Gender, Diversity and Organizations Division  of the Academy of Management (2005).

Recent Conference Presentations:

Kim, J., Nguyen, D. & Block, C.J.  (2017).  Perceptions of Microaggressions Towards Asians in the Workplace.  Society for Industrial Organizational Psychology Conference, Orlanda, Florida.

Cruz, M.C., Block, C.J., Bairley, M., Harel-Marian, T. & Roberson, L. (2016).  Career Navigation Under Conditions of Stereotype Threat: Examining Strategies and Long-term Response Patterns.  American Association of Colleges and Universities, Transforming Undergraduate STEM Education: Implications for 21st-Century Society, Boston, Massachusetts

Noumair, D.A. & Block, C.J. (2016).  Exploring the Intersection of Diversity and Organization Change: Group Dynamics as a Way Forward.  Academy of Management Conference, Anaheim, California.

Woodson, T.J. & Block, C.J. (2016).  The Effect of Intersectional Stereotypes on the Perceptions of Managers.  Academy of Management Conference, Anaheim, California.

Gupta, A. & Block, C.J. (2015).  Does a Pre-existing Relationship Buffer Female Managers from the Negative Consequences of Anger Expression in the Workplace?  Academy of Management Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Kim, J., Drinka, G., Nguyen, D., Yu, H. & Block, C.J.  (2015). Racial Microaggressions Experienced by Asians and Asian Americans in the Workplace.  Association for Psychological Science, New York, New York.

Gupta, A. & Block, C.J. (2014). Employee Perceptions of Managers Who Express Anger: Could a High-Quality Relationship Buffer Women from Backlash?  Academy of Management Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Castro, M., Block, C.J., Ferraris, D. & Roberson, L. (2013).  Was my social identity just threatened?  Making meaning of gendered cues in STEM academe.  Academy of Management Conference, Orlando, Florida. (Best Paper Proceedings)


Selected Invited Addresses:

Pfizer, Pearl River: From Diversity to Inclusion, October, 2018.

Spencer Stuart: Creating Cultures of Inclusion, October, 2018.

Goldman Sachs, Operations Division: Creating Inclusive Organizations: Understanding Diversity Dynamics, July, August and September, 2017.

Stripe, Leadership Development Seminar: Leadership for Inclusion: Understanding Diversity Dynamics, August 2017, August 2018.

Board of Cooperational Educational Services (BOCES) Senior Leadership Team, Rockland County: Creating Learning Organizations, August, 2017.

Center for Curatorial Leadership, Mellon Seminar Series in Curatorial Practice: Leadership and Personality, June, 2017.

Columbia University Medical School Faculty Leadership Program, Leadership and Self-Awareness, April 2017.

CA Technologies, Women’s Leadership Summit: Understanding Diversity Dynamics in Systems, March, 2017.

Teachers College, Columbia University. From fix the women to fix the culture. Presentation to the Academic Affairs Committee, Board of Trustees, December 2016.

Columbia University and Young Presidents Organization, Faculty to Global Leaders Education Program: Leadership for Inclusion: Understanding Diversity Dynamics in Systems, March, 2016.

Columbia Business School, Global Leadership Forum for ExxonMobil Senior Leaders.  Leadership for Diversity: Creating a Culture of Inclusion, July 2014.


Hebrew University, Executive Masters in Business Administration Program, Jerusalem, Israel. 
Leadership through Self-Awareness Workshop.  April, 2009.

25th Annual Winter Roundtable on Cultural Psychology and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University – Keynote Speaker, February 2008.

The Interdisciplinary Center, Arison School of Business, Herzilya, Israel – Leadership through Self-Awareness Workshop, February 2008.

American Psychological Association Work, Stress and Health Conference, Washington D.C. 
Building Occupational Safety and Health Skills for the 21st Century:  Cultural Competence Workshop for Researchers and Practitioners, April, 2008.

National Science Foundation ADVANCE Principal Investigators Meeting  - Arlington, VA
Invited address on the Long-term Effects of Stereotype Threat on Women Scientists, June, 2007. 


Professor Block is a member of the Academy of Management, American Psychological Society, and the American Psychological Association (Division of Industrial Organizational Psychology).

Professor Block is on the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science.


Professor Block serves as an ad hoc reviewer for the Journal of Applied Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, American Psychologist, Journal of Organizational and Occupational Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Academy of Management Review, and Sex Roles.

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