Giulia Lausi, PhD

I am a Senior Researcher at Vilnius University, where I investigate the cognitive and cultural roots of gender-based discrimination and violence. My research focuses on how people perceive, interpret, and respond to others based on gendered expectations.

My research draws on both cognitive and social psychology. In particular, I integrate the Predictive Brain and the Culture in Mind frameworks to better understand how people unconsciously internalise and reproduce gendered expectations. This allows me to explore how cultural knowledge and mental models shape our daily interactions—often without us being aware of it. As a result, I explore how stereotypes are formed, maintained, and sometimes challenged in both individual cognition and collective cultural narratives.

Hence, my work aims to address these questions:
– What leads individuals to adopt discriminatory behaviours?
– How do cognitive processes reinforce harmful stereotypes?
– Can we intervene early, before discrimination becomes violence?

Through my UnveilGBD project, funded by the Horizon Europe ERA Fellowships, I examine these questions in a cross-cultural context. The project explores the relationship between cognitive processes and sexist beliefs in two European contexts: Italy and Lithuania. By comparing these settings, the project provides insight into how cultural background shapes gender-related attitudes and behaviours.

The goal of my work is dual. On the one hand, I aim to advance academic knowledge about the mechanisms of gender-based violence. On the other hand, I seek to create real-world impact by informing policies, prevention strategies, and educational programmes. Moreover, UnveilGBD bridges theory and practice by developing an integrated model that can be used in both academic and policy contexts.

In addition to academic research, I am committed to science communication and public engagement. I believe research should not remain confined to academic journals. It should be accessible, dialogic, and transformative.