Gabriel
Camacho
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Education
Ph.D., University of Connecticut (2020, Social Psychology)
M.S., University of Connecticut (2016, Social Psychology)
B.A, University of Virginia (2012, Psychology)
Bio
Dr. Gabriel Camacho is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He received his B.A. (2012) in Psychology from the University of Virginia and his M.S. (2016) and Ph.D. (2020) from the University of Connecticut. He joined John Jay in 2020. One line of his research examines how phenotype influences the prototypicality and stereotyping of Latine individuals, as well as how clothing alters these perceptions across minoritized ethnic groups. In another line of research, he investigates individual differences that make members of minoritized ethnic groups more susceptible to experiencing social identity threat and how identity safety cues can mitigate this threat. Together, his work advances our understanding of how appearance-based and contextual factors shape social perception and identity-related experiences, with implications for reducing bias and promoting more inclusive environments.
Courses Taught
PSY 221 Social Psychology
PSY 311 Research Methods in Psychology
PSY 385 Supervised Undergraduate Research Experience in Psychology
GR01_PSY_80100 Stigma: A Social Psychological Perspective
Professional Memberships
American Psychological Association (APA)
Association for Psychological Science (APS)
National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA)
Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI)
Society of Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP)
Scholarly Work
Camacho, G. (2026). The shape of bias: Exploring quadratic relationships among skin tone, prototypicality, colorism, and discrimination in Latine Americans. Journal of Latinx Psychology.
Camacho, G. (2026). The effect of skin tone and Latine phenotypic prototypicality on perceived inferiority and foreignness. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp000080010.1037/cdp0000800.
Camacho, G., & Reinka, M. A. (2026). The effect of skin tone on the implicit categorization and stereotyping of Latine Americans. Social Cognition, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1521/soco.2026.44.1.1
Camacho, G., Reinka, M. A., & Burt, C. J. (2026). The effects of skin tone and prototypicality on the dynamic racial categorization and stereotyping of Latine Americans. Frontiers in Social Psychology.https://10.3389/frsps.2026.1678079
Camacho, G., & Sosa, J. (2025). The relationship between phenotypic prototypicality and ethnic centrality: The mediating roles of perceived discrimination and ingroup acceptance. Race and Social Problems,17, 613–624.https://doi.org/10.1007/s12552-025-09463-z
Camacho, G., & Abouras, A. (2025). I, too, am America: displaying national symbols on clothing increases the perceived ethnic and civic nationalism of Latinx Americans. The Journal of Social Psychology, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2025.2503007
Camacho, G., & Reinka, M. A. (2025). Se habla Español: The role of ethnic centrality in the effect of providing Spanish-language services in health clinics among Latinx Americans. Journal of Health Psychology, 30(1):90-101. 10.1177/13591053241235443
Camacho, G. (2024). The effect of wearing college apparel on Black men's perceived criminality and perceived risk of being racially profiled by police. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 111, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2023.104565
Camacho, G., & Quinn, D. M. (2024). Neighborhood ethnic composition and social identity threat: The mediating role of perceived discrimination. Journal of Social Psychology, 164(6), 1144–1158https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2023.2263630
Honors and Awards
2026: Open-Access Publication Award, John Jay College of Criminal Justice | $ 2,448.89
2025: Departmental Overhead Research Fund, John Jay College of Criminal Justice | $3000
2022: Distinguished Teaching Prize Nomination, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
2022: Faculty Covid Recovery Award, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
2020: Doctoral Student Travel Fellowship, University of Connecticut Graduate School | $1000
2019: APS RISE Award winner, Association for Psychological Science | $400
2017: APS RISE Award honorable mention, Association for Psychological Science | $100
2017: Diversity Fund Travel Award, Society for Personality and Social Psychology | $500
2015: Ethnic Diversity Task Force Mentoring Scholarship, Connecticut Psychological Association |$100
2012: Research Excellence Award, University of Virginia