She is professor emeritus of psychology at Ohio State University and resides in New South Wales.
She was formerly Professor of Psychology and Director of the Institute for Social Science Research at UCLA.
Her parents both did not attend college but encouraged her to pursue her education.
Brewer received her Bachelors of Arts in Social Sciences in 1963 from North Park College with honors.
[5] While she is particularly recognized for her theory of optimal distinctiveness, she has been honored by a variety of organizations for wide-ranging and diverse contributions to the field of social psychology.