LAB MEMBERS

REBECCA DOLGIN

I’m a PhD candidate in Cognitive, Social and Developmental Psychology at The New School for Social Research. I study how language, cultural norms, and affect inform our evaluations of people and information. I draw on cognitive, social, and cultural psychology to understand the influence these external factors have on our internal cognitive processes. My research questions revolve around how different people exposed to the same stimuli or situation, such as a conversation or social media post, interpret it differently. I am particularly interested in how interpersonal connection/disconnection influences mutual understanding.

JESSICA ENGELBRECHT

I am interested in cross-cultural differences in social cognition and moral behaviors such as gossip and social support. I am also investigating mate value judgments and LGBTQ psychology with collaborators outside the lab. Prior to coming to TNS, I worked at an infant development lab at Rochester Institute of Technology, and researched educational motivation at the International College of Technology in Kanazawa, Japan. Drawing on my experience as editor of the New School Psychology Bulletin, I work as a graduate writing tutor at The New School. 

HONG B. NGUYEN

I was born and raised in Viet Nam. I received my BS in Psychology from Manhattan College, where I was a secretary for Psi Chi (The International Honor Society in Psychology). I want to address the importance of the influences of culture and environment on motivation and social cognition. My current research addresses the question, “How does failure influence one’s motivation to achieve in a cross-cultural context?” Other than research, I am a proud dog mom who enjoys playing the ukulele.

JIANGXUE VALENTINA NING

Born and raised in China and attended schools in Thailand and the U.S., I became interested in how culture and other types of information influence our judgments and mental representation of the world. I am co-advised by Dr. Joan Miller and Dr. Ben van Buren to investigate my research interests. Prior to the New School, I completed my B.A. in liberal arts at St. John’s College and worked as a full-time research assistant in Experience and Cognition Lab at Cornell University. 

GEN TSUDAKA

I am currently a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Cognitive,Social, and Developmental Psychology at the New School for Social Research. Ialso received my M.A. in psychology (with concentration in substance abusepsychotherapy) at NSSR, and B.A. in psychology (with concentration inneuropsychology) from the College of the Holy Cross. I am interested in how our immediate (place) and distal ecological variables (tectonic plates and mountains) shape cultural norms and influence how we feel, think, and behave through mixed-methods approach. Outside research, I enjoy playing the violin, snowboarding, and scuba-diving.

SAPNA DESAI

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NABIHA NADEEM

I am a Fulbright scholar from Pakistan. Coming from a very different South Asian collectivist culture to the US, I first-hand experienced how culture impacts our beliefs, behavior, and identity, which made me more interested in exploring how cultural context influences us. My research interest lies in Applied Social Psychology. Particularly, I'm enthusiastic about two research areas: (1) how we can use culture to promote pro-social behavior and (2) exploring close/romantic relationships from the lens of sociocultural psychology.

VALENCIA SIMON

I am from Charlotte, NC and I received my BA in Community Health from Brown University. My background in Public Health and in particular the theory of the social determinants of health informs my work in the field of Psychology. I am interested in the effects of culture and other environmental factors on the individual's development of motivation, grit, and resilience.