In the Social Perception and Cognition lab, we examine how subtle patterns we encounter every day can reinforce and even challenge social inequities.  As a lab, we aim to address power differentials among social groups in ways that contribute to scientific knowledge and have clear, broad social benefits.

 














Want to get involved?  Being a research assistant (RA) provides lab-based experience critical to exploring psychology as a career. RA positions in our lab are competitive, and require an application and an interview (about 25% of applicants are accepted). No prior experience is necessary (and don't let this stop you! RAships are intended to be a first step into research.)You don't need to have any specific skills ahead of time, though we often work with programming languages (e.g., Python, Javascript, MatLab) and photo/video editing software (e.g., Premiere, Photoshop). RA positions sometimes include weekend availability because we often collect data with children and adults on the weekend. RAs generally help with tasks such as data and stimulus coding, stimulus generation, running participants, and later in their time in the lab, more advanced and intellectually-enriched tasks, such as data analysis. RAs spend 8-10 hours per week in the lab and are asked to commit for 2 semesters in total (the first semester enables us to evaluate if this is a good fit for you).  RAs learn a great deal about the basic elements of the research process and can, therefore, complete an RAship for class credit (PSYC 489).  Students from any discipline are encouraged to apply, including (but not limited to) computer science, child and family studies, data science, neuroscience, psychology, and sociology. Note: We can work with your schedule if you are planning to go abroad in the coming year. Also, we recommend that students get involved in research early in their undergraduate career if they know they are interested in pursuing a PhD.  Getting involved early (e.g., first or second year) allows students to accumulate research experience necessary for them to be competitive for PhD programs.      
 
What’s next? If that sounds like something that you are interested in and a commitment you would have room for in your schedule, please fill out the Google Form linked below. Note: We recruit and review applications for Spring, Summer, and Fall, including for Honors students (see FAQ below).  

Google Form: https://tiny.utk.edu/ApplyToSPACLab
 
Are you planning to complete an honors thesis? We consider research-based honors thesis students who have worked in the lab as RAs for at least a semester (ideally more). You can complete an honors thesis as part of the Psychology Department Honors Concentration or independent of the formal concentration. An honors thesis is intense. It involves conducting a study that is designed in collaboration with Dr. Lamer (and often one of the graduate students in the lab). This usually involves collecting new data, preparing a theoretical introduction, and analyzing results. Honors thesis students should be highly self-motivated and have the time and energy to dedicate 10 -15 hours a week on their project throughout the full year. Students should have availability to work on the project in the summer before their senior year and continue their work through their senior year. Additionally, we expect honors thesis students to submit an AURA (Advanced Undergraduate Research Activity) grant proposal the spring before their senior year (typically due in March). We will also help you to present this work at local, regional, and national conferences depending on the quality and intensity of the work if it would align with your career goals. So if you want to do a thesis, get involved in research early! Note: Except in rare circumstances, we do not have the capacity to mentor capstone projects. 

Members of all groups, including underrepresented groups (such as first-gen; neurodivergent; POC; LGBTQ+) are encouraged to apply!