The 2nd Researcher Spotlight
January 9, 2024
Dr Allan B. I. Bernardo is a Distinguished University Professor and Scientist at De La Salle University, known for his research on topics such as polyculturalism, lay theories of culture, social cognition, and mental health in Asian societies. His work also explores the sociocultural factors influencing learning motivation and achievement. Learn more about his work and his research ambition here:
I am Allan B. I. Bernardo. I am a Distinguished University Professor and University Fellow at De La Salle University. I am based at the Department of Psychology, where I do research on the following interrelated themes: (a) polyculturalism and other lay theories of culture and how they influence intercultural processes, (b) lay theories and their roles in social cognitions related to socioeconomic inequality and socioeconomic mobility, (c) hope, well-being and mental health in Asian societies, and (d) sociocultural aspects of learning motivation and achievement.
To view Dr. Bernardo’s published papers, please visit his Scopus profile: Allan B. I. Bernardo – Author details - Scopus opens in new tab/window
1. Can you briefly tell us how your work is related to DLSU's ambition to create new knowledge as a public good?
My research programs look into the social cognitive and social and cultural psychological aspects of concerns in different domains: intergroup/intercultural relations, socioeconomic and other inequalities, learning in education, well-being in schools, workplaces, and in communities. These topics overlap with DLSU’s research priorities.
But unlike much of the Philippine research on these topics that tend to be more descriptive and/or prescriptive, my research aims to generate new ways of looking at and understanding the problems, beyond the “usual suspects”. For example, while more researchers on low achievement of Filipino students focus on the teacher factors, curriculum, and resources, my research looks at the students’ social cognitive and psychological experiences in schools and how these relate to students’ engagement and sense of belonging in schools. There’s also a lot of work that looks into economic models to reduce poverty and community-based programs to alleviate poverty in families; but my work inquires into social norms and beliefs that shape individuals’ knowledge and attitudes that influence how they perceive the problem of poverty and willingness to support anti-poverty policies and programs.
DLSU’s research leadership encourages these approaches to knowledge production that do not align with local conventions. DLSU gives me the intellectual and professional space to engage in these types of scientific work, even if they don’t fit what most local researchers do. In doing so, they are enabling me to re-shape ways of scholarly inquiry on my topic of interest in the country.
2. How do you view DLSU research ambition? Does it matter to you as researchers? How so?
I decided to join the faculty of DLSU precisely because of its research ambition. My research program straddles basic and applied questions in psychology and seeks to make theoretical and real-life contributions, and I cannot imagine how my research program can be supported in any other Philippine university now.
DLSU’s research fellowship scheme allows me to devote more time for research more than any other Philippine university; and this time also allows me to mentor more graduate students in psychology and to collaborate with researchers in other countries. The university’s ambition also incentivizes the types of research products that I also value.
I also have my own ambitions as a researcher: to contribute to new theoretical ways of understanding important psychological and social phenomenon, to sustain collaborations with diverse scholars, and to nurture the next general of psychological scientists in the Philippines, and these ambitions align neatly with DLSU’s research development programs. So, there is a convergence between the university’s research values and processes and my own.
3. What motivates you to want to develop research? Is it purely because of university’s mandate? Or any other reasons?
Curiosity and awe, I suppose. Since I graduated from Yale University in my early 20s, I have always admired the beauty of psychological theorizing that occurs at different levels of analysis. My original research focused on cognitive levels of analysis, and in my recent work, I have since broadened my approach to locate cognitive and motivational processes within the individual’s social and cultural processes. Those brief moments when I think my research clarifies a small part of these complex interacting processes provide me with such deep felt satisfaction and fulfillment.
When my research ideas seem to provide innovative pathways to addressing some of my country or the region’s long standing problems, the fulfillment deepens. But because I tend to be skeptical about easy applications from complex ideas, I tend to be more cautious in prescribing solutions and actions and prefer to do further investigations to see if the prescriptions actually help or if they are only good in theory. But that’s also part of the beauty of the research process, right? The process of discovery, innovation, verification, replication, and sharing of new knowledge is a never ending and sustaining process.
4. Do you feel that support by higher management does contribute to helping you in doing your research? Can you specifically mention how?
The DLSU leadership has created a system to allow research active faculty members to do less teaching so they can devote more time to research, publication, and mentoring young researchers or graduate students. This form of support is very helpful. I know that the DLSU leadership understands the quality time requirements of thoughtful research work.
5. How about from the library? Do you know and use database and analytics subscribed by library to support your research?
Yes, I know that the Library at DLSU subscribes to Scopus and other databases, which are useful in showing the breadth of the literature, but more importantly to have a sense of the more important publication venues. As a researcher, it is important that I know which journals and other publications are in the cutting edge of my discipline, because I need to know the directions in which the discipline is moving. Journal metrics and even article metrics give me guides on how important some works are. These databases also give me better options for choosing where to publish my research. Researchers want their publications to be read by as many scholars as possible, but also by the more important thinkers in the field; so, it is important to know which journals have the attention of the scholarly community.