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Lab Director

Lauren Human, PhD

Principal’s Research Chair in Social Perception and Expression
Associate Professor of Psychology
The University of British Columbia Okanagan
lauren.human@ubc.ca

Click for CV

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Graduate Students

Scarlett MacPherson

I am a PhD student in Psychological Sciences under the supervision of Dr. Lauren Human. My main areas of research are first impressions, social connection, and loneliness. I am especially interested in interventions that may foster interpersonal relationships and build community. I feel immensely privileged to be able to contribute to the ongoing research being conducted in the Social Interaction and Perception Lab. In my spare time you can find me walking long distances and engaging in on-campus advocacy.

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Jillian Law

I am a first year MA Clinical Psychology student with a BA (Hons) in Psychology from UBC-Okanagan. My research interests are grounded in relationship initiation, development, and maintenance in online settings. My goal is to develop the toolkit of a researcher and clinician as a graduate student in order to pursue a career in academia. In my free time I enjoy making pottery, playing games with friends, and spending time outdoors in the beautiful Okanagan!

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Lab Coordinator

Madison Eagle

human.lab@ubc.ca

I am the SIP Lab Coordinator for the 2025/26 academic year. This is my final year of studies in the B.A. Psychology program, and I aim to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology. I am interested by the role of personality in social interactions, how this may strengthen/worsen the perceptions we form of others, and how this differs across social contexts. It is a privilege to explore these topics in the SIP Lab! 

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Undergraduate Research Students

Brennan McLaughlin

I am a fourth-year Bachelor of Science majoring in psychology. Currently, I am completing my honours thesis under the supervision of Dr. Human. This project will focus on how accurately outside observers can interpret whether others like one another after watching an interaction. After finishing my undergraduate degree, I plan to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology.

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Paige Kirkman

I am a fourth-year Bachelor of Science student majoring in psychology. This summer, I completed my Undergraduate Research Award under the supervision of Dr. Human, where I explored meta-accuracy and synchrony in first impressions. After completing my undergraduate degree, I plan to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology. I am grateful to be part of such a collaborative and inspiring research team!

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Volunteer Research Assistants

Annika Joy

I am a second-year student currently working towards a BSc in psychology. My primary interests lie in the field of paediatric and developmental psychology, however I am also endlessly fascinated by social psychology and the interactions that form society as we know it. As such, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of the SIP lab! After completing my undergraduate degree, I hope to attend medical school and ultimately become a paediatric psychiatrist.

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Chantelle Fourie

I am Chantelle Fourie, currently a 4^th year Bachelor of Arts Psychology major.  Some of my research interests include interpersonal interactions, areas of development, as well as diagnostics. Specifically, I am interested in areas of anxiety and the impacts of anxiety on interactions. I am currently completing my honours, looking at likability and social anxiety. After my undergrad, I hope to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology.

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Claire Dupuis

I am a fourth year Bachelor of Arts student. I am majoring in psychology with a minor in visual arts. My research interests lie in social and forensic psychology. After I complete my undergraduate degree, I plan to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology.

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Deidre Folliet

I am a third year undergraduate student majoring in psychology with a minor in mathematics. I have always been intrigued by social psychology, and I’m interested in what psychological and social factors influence how others perceive us and how we perceive them. I’m very happy to be a part of the SIP team and after completing my undergraduate degree, I plan to pursue graduate studies in psychology.

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Ethan Maja

I am a volunteer in the SIP Lab and am primarily involved in the SMAP study. I recently graduated from UBCO with honours and am currently pursuing graduate programs in Canada. My research interests include mental health, personality, and the promotion of healthy functioning in both personal and interpersonal settings.

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Georgia Cooper

I am a third-year B.A. Psychology student at UBC Okanagan and I am excited to be a part of the SIP team! I plan to complete my honours thesis under the supervision of Dr. Human during the 2026–2027 academic year. My research focus will involve examining how social perceptions and cognitive biases mediate judgments. This is driven by a commitment to promote fair treatment for individuals facing social, cognitive, and physical barriers.

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Harshita Gupta

I completed Ba honours in Psychology and a minor in Mathematics from UBC. I am interested in how the first interaction we have with someone acts as the basis for the perception (either negative or positive) we have about them. I would also like to study the factors involved in first impressions. After my undergraduate degree, I hope to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology. I am grateful to be a part of the SIP Lab.

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Jessica Bader

I am a fourth-year Bachelor of Arts student with a major in psychology. My main interest is in social psychology, and I plan to pursue research more in the future. I am excited to be a part of the SIP lab and to learn more about research!

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Keir Bui

I’m a fourth-year psychology major with a data science minor. My Honours thesis revolves around modes of romantic relationships and sexuality, like long-distance and consensual non-monogamy. My current goal is to pursue I/O Psychology, with a focus in EDI at the workplace. My experience in the SIP Lab has strengthened my understanding of research design and conduct, and I’m grateful for the skills I’ve gained through this volunteer work.

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Lauren Fraser

I am a fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Psychology student here at UBC Okanagan. My research interests lie in the area of forensic psychology, with a particular focus on youth psychopathy and deception detection in the context of law enforcement. After completing my undergraduate degree, I plan to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis on work within correctional settings.

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Rose Alcock

I am a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Bachelor of Arts psychology program, with a minor in Indigenous studies. I am excited to be a part of the SIP lab, which has been a supportive environment that has helped empower me to more fully understand the expectations of working in a research lab. After completing my undergraduate degree, I plan to pursue graduate studies in the clinical psychology program.

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Sherine Sarkis

Hello! I am a third-year undergraduate student in the Bachelor of Science in Psychology program, originally from Chile. My primary interests are in social and cognitive psychology, which makes me excited to be part of the SIP Lab. I look forward to learning from my teammates, gaining valuable experience and, after graduation, pursuing graduate studies in clinical psychology.

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Alumni

Grad Students

Jennifer Heyman, PhD: Postdoctoral associate: MIT Sloan School of Management, Center for Collective Intelligence

Marie-Catherine Mignault, PhD: Postdoctoral Fellow at the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, Cornell University

Hasagani Tissera, PhD: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto

Lauren Gazzard Kerr, PhD

Lab Coordinators

Alexa Meilleur (Counselling PhD Student at UQAM)

Cleo Bertrand

Catalina Enestrom (Experimental PhD Student at McGill University)

Camila Bahn (M.Sc. Organizational Development at HEC Montréal)

Una Jojich-White (M.A. in Counselling Psychology at Yorkville University)

Megan Peters (JD at University of Toronto)

Zoe Fargnoli Brown (M.A. Social-Personality Psychology at York University)

Alyssa Truong (M.Ed. School and Applied Child Psychology Student, University of Calgary)

Carlie Unrau (MSc, School and applied child psychology, University of Calgary)

Jillian Law (M.A. Clinical Psychology, University of British Columbia Okanagan)

Research Students

Jamie Cecere (MA Counselling Psychology at University of Toronto)
Charlene Zhang
Simone Chad-Friedman
Jishian Ravinthiran
Sierra Skoropada
Lia Elbaz
Jamie Borenstein-Laurie (Clinical PhD Student at Concordia)
Ashley Brown Notargiacomo
Pushkar Seewooruttun
Yannick Pelletier
Lavanya Virmani
Sophia Thierry (Experimental PhD Student at Brock University)
Emily Schwartzman (Experimental PhD Student at University of Toronto)
Vivien Lee (PhD in I/O Psychology at University of Minnesota)
Stephanie de Silva (M.Sc Cognitive and Decision Sciences at University College London)
Gabrielle Marchand (M.Ed. Counselling Psychology at University of Ottawa)
Sabrina Rao
Marilyne Dragon (MA Research and Clinical Training at Concordia University)
Christophe Gagné
Rose-Marie Guérard
Sal Cuthbertson
Kirti Mahato
Carlie Unrau
Jillian Law
Aradhita Aarora
Kayur Ranchod
Soule Cretney (MSW at University of British Columbia Okanagan)
Karanbir Singh Kalsi (MSW at University of British Columbia Okanagan)
Brittany Bell

Volunteers