Contemporary society presents a paradox: while technological advances have forged global networks, they have concurrently exacerbated experiences of social exclusion, establishing it as a critical area of academic investigation and practical concern. Dr. Xuan Xie, an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, has established herself as an emerging voice in research examining how individuals psychologically navigate rejection and discrimination across various social and commercial contexts. Having completed her PhD in Management at the University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business in 2024, Dr. Xie has developed a comprehensive research portfolio that integrates experimental rigor with theoretical insight, creating evidence-based pathways toward greater inclusion and understanding in marketplace interactions.
Dr. Xie’s deep academic interest in exclusion motivated her collaborative involvement in the blog “Reclaiming the Reel,” co-authored with Ravikanth Vazrapu, where they interviewed the original researchers to explore systemic biases against women and minority directors in Hollywood. This engagement with macro-level industry discrimination provided a critical foundation that directly informed her subsequent doctoral dissertation, which shifted focus to micro-level psychological responses to exclusion, examining how individuals cope with social rejection through prosocial behaviors. This progression highlights her sustained scholarly commitment to understanding exclusion across institutional and personal dimensions, bridging empirical industry analysis with experimental psychology.
Building on this early exploration, the foundation of Dr. Xie’s scholarly contribution rests firmly on her doctoral dissertation, Facing Exclusion: How Peripheral Consumers Seek Connections by Helping Others (2024). This substantial research endeavor represents a multi-method investigation comprising six meticulously designed studies with 1,971 participants across laboratory and field settings. The research provides a nuanced examination of a counterintuitive psychological phenomenon: rather than responding to social exclusion with predictable aggression or withdrawal, many individuals demonstrate an increased propensity for prosocial behavior, particularly helping others. Grounded in Uncertainty-Identity Theory, Dr. Xie’s work reveals that individuals who perceive themselves as peripheral members of a group experience intensified self-uncertainty when confronted with exclusionary experiences. This psychological state triggers a powerful need to belong, which manifests through strategic helping behaviors aimed at rebuilding social connections and reaffirming one’s place within a community structure.
Dr. Xie’s dissertation makes multiple contributions to the fields of consumer psychology and social identity research. Theoretically, it integrates social identity concepts, particularly the distinction between peripheral and prototypical group membership, into the consumer behavior literature, offering a more nuanced understanding of how identity uncertainty drives marketplace decisions. Methodologically, it employs a multi-method approach that combines controlled laboratory experiments with field studies, ensuring both internal validity and real-world relevance. From a practical standpoint, her research provides insights for marketers and community leaders seeking to foster inclusive environments and strengthen engagement among diverse consumer populations.
Building upon these foundational insights, Dr. Xie’s current research program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo expands her exploration of identity, perception, and behavior into additional empirical contexts. Her ongoing research initiatives include several working papers that build directly upon her dissertation work while exploring new theoretical directions.
One project currently in development, Let’s Get Serious About Play: It’s the Effort That Counts, conducted in collaboration with Sayantani Mukherjee and Loraine Lau-Gesk, examines how perceived effort transforms emotionally complex experiences into meaningful consumption. This preliminary work investigates the concept of “serious play”—characterized by meaningful, effortful engagement that transcends traditional notions of leisure activities. Early findings suggest that effort may serve as a meaning-making cue in playful contexts, offering potential implications for designing engaging consumer experiences.
Another developing project, How To Undo The Beautiful Is Good Stereotype: Get Knowledgeable About Ugly Produce, undertaken with Angela King and Loraine Lau-Gesk, addresses the intersection of consumer behavior and environmental sustainability. This research examines how product knowledge may influence consumer evaluation of imperfect-looking produce. Preliminary findings point to nuanced and sometimes counterintuitive ways in which knowledge operates, challenging simple assumptions about how to combat appearance-based bias. This work aims to develop effective educational interventions to help reduce food waste at the consumer level.
Since joining the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo in August 2024, Dr. Xie has actively expanded her research locally, initiating projects that apply her theories to Hawaiian contexts. She is currently developing new studies that examine how Indigenous communities respond to digital exclusion, applying her expertise on peripheral membership and identity uncertainty to regionally specific forms of marginalization.
Beyond her academic research, Dr. Xie is deeply engaged in translating theoretical insights into direct community benefits. She leads career development workshops for local high school students, such as a session at Honoka’a High School in November 2024, where participants practice interview skills using “belongingness-building techniques” derived from her dissertation findings. Preliminary feedback from these workshops indicates significantly improved confidence among participants.
These developing research directions represent work in progress that demonstrates Dr. Xie’s continued examination of identity, perception, and behavior across diverse consumption contexts. It is important to note that these projects are ongoing and have not yet undergone full peer review or publication.
Looking forward, Dr. Xie emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary efforts to tackle exclusion. She plans to expand her research to examine consumer responses in evolving digital landscapes, including areas such as marketplace messaging and social media dynamics. She plans to further develop her research program along several trajectories, intending to explore how digital environments create new forms of exclusion and inclusion. She also aims to expand her investigation of prosocial behavior to include other forms of community engagement and social support.
As she states in her dissertation: “Exclusion erects barriers; inclusion builds bridges.” Dr. Xuan Xie’s research stands as a testament to the power of evidence-based inquiry to drive social change. Her work not only contributes to academic understanding of exclusion and inclusion but also provides actionable strategies for creating more connected and equitable communities. By bridging theoretical research with practical application and community engagement, Dr. Xie demonstrates how academic inquiry can contribute to addressing pressing societal challenges—one data point and one healed relationship at a time.
