Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts and behaviors are influenced by others. Social psychologists are interested in how social situations impact us over a wide variety of contexts and include topics such as social influence and conformity, attitudes and persuasion, stereotypes and discrimination, person perception and attribution, our sense of self, interpersonal relationships, and attraction, group behavior and aggression.
This lab explores a broad range of social psychology themes. Most (but not all) of the research focuses on zero-sum competitions in society at large (e.g., elections) or sports. Of specific interest is how people perceive underdog entities and why they support them. In the sports domain, the focus is on peak performance under pressure utilizing archival research. For more information, go to the Laboratory for the Applied Research of Society and Sport Lab website.
How to apply
Please email Dr. Nadav Goldschmied at ngoldschmied@sandiego.edu. For the best chance of joining the lab, Dr. Goldschmied recommends taking one of his classes prior to applying.
Dr. Anne Koenig's research focuses on gender issues and stereotyping and prejudice. She has used both correlational and experimental paradigms to assess questions relating to stereotype content, role congruity theory of prejudice, prescriptive gender stereotypes, and the ideologies of sex differences. Recent projects have investigated what people view as the best way to reduce gender stereotyping, how prescriptive gender stereotypes are applied to different age categories, and the consequences of violating gender stereotypes.
How to apply
Please email Dr. Koenig at akoenig@sandiego.edu for more information. Research assistants are usually selected prior to the start of the semester, or you can inquire about joining the lab group for a future semester.
Dr. Daniel Forster’s research interests include the roles of gratitude, forgiveness and interpersonal trust in fostering cooperative interactions. He employs experimental techniques and advanced quantitative methods to explore the causes and consequences of cooperation. His work aims to refine methods for measuring abstract constructs such as emotions and attitudes and to model causal relationships between these variables and experimental manipulations.
How to apply
Please email Dr. Forster at danielforster@sandiego.edu to inquire about joining the lab group. He is currently seeking motivated research assistants interested in developing skills in experimental and quantitative methods for social psychological research.
Work in this lab applies social psychology to sport, health and well-being. Projects explore how identity and social factors shape performance, how social comparisons influence motivation and behavior, and how power dynamics and perception in relationships affect health. Across these areas, the work highlights the role of mindset as a key moderator and seeks practical ways to foster resilience, motivation and positive outcomes.
How to apply
Please email Dr. Rebekah Wanic at rwanic@sandiego.edu.