Molly Crockett, Lab Director
Dr. Molly Crockett is an Associate Professor at Princeton University’s Department of Psychology and University Center for Human Values. Prior to joining Princeton, Dr. Crockett was an Associate Professor of Psychology at Yale University, Associate Professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Jesus College. They hold a BSc in Psychobiology from UCLA and a PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of Cambridge, and completed a Wellcome Trust Postdoctoral Fellowship with economists and neuroscientists at the University of Zürich and University College London.
Judy sein Kim, POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW
Prior to starting as a postdoc in the Crockett Lab, Judy obtained a PhD in Cognitive Psychology from Johns Hopkins University. She is interested in the abstract structures people use to understand and communicate their experiences. During their PhD, they studied theories that individuals born blind form about “visual” phenomena (e.g., color). Currently, Judy is investigating how people construct moral narratives in the service of making sense of their own values as well as for persuading others.
Sally xie, Postdoctoral fellow
Sally is a postdoc in the Crockett Lab. She received her PhD in Experimental Psychology at McGill University, where she investigated how social and situational contexts (such as racial and gender identities, stereotypes, everyday experiences, and situational goals) shape social impressions. Building on this foundational work, she is currently examining how intersecting identities—and identity transformations—alter the way we perceive others and ourselves.
Adam Morris, PostDoctoral Fellow
Adam Morris is a postdoc in the Crockett Lab. He recently finished his PhD in cognitive science at Harvard University. During his PhD, he studied “habits of thought” in decision-making: habitual cognitive mechanisms which guide abstract thought patterns and decision operations. He is currently investigating people’s awareness of their own implicit choice mechanisms, and the ways that this awareness can be improved through attentional training.
Megha Chawla, PhD Student
Megha is a fifth year PhD student in psychology at Yale, and is co-supervised by Drs. Molly Crockett and Steve Chang. She received a BA in Psychology from the University of Southern California and a MRes in Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology from University College London. Prior to joining the PhD program, Megha worked as a research assistant in Dr. Ifat Levy’s lab at Yale for two years. In the Crockett lab, she is using neuroimaging, computational and behavioral methods to understand the psychology and neuroscience of social decision-making.
Yoonseo Zoh, PHD STUDENT
Yoonseo is a fifth year PhD student in psychology at Princeton, working with Dr. Molly Crockett. She obtained her B.A. in Psychology and Education at Seoul National University in South Korea. Yoonseo’s research examines the interplay between human cognitive processes and moral intuitions. She is particularly interested in understanding how individuals make inferences and decisions regarding issues of justice and morality.
KilliaN Mcloughlin, PHD STUDENT
Killian is a third year PhD student on the joint degree program in psychology and social policy at Princeton where he is supervised by Molly Crockett. Having received a BA in philosophy and English literature from University College Dublin (UCD), he went on to complete his first postgraduate degree in psychology at Trinity College Dublin, before returning to UCD to study for an MSc in social data analytics. He spent two years as laboratory technician in the Crockett Lab before joining as a graduate student, first at Yale and then at Princeton. Killian’s research leverages computational methods to explore the interactions between moral psychology and digital technologies.
Naomi vaida, PHD STUDENT
Naomi is a fifth year PhD student on the joint degree program in psychology and social policy at Princeton, co-advised by Molly Crockett and Susan Fiske. She received her BA in Psychology from Trinity College Dublin, before starting her PhD in the middle of the pandemic (#distant dystopia). Naomi studies how people construct different narratives about the same set of events, depending on reputational goals, such as making someone look like a villain or a hero. Outside the lab, she likes to read about art history and theology and host themed dinner parties for friends.
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TORI LEVIER, Lab Manager
Tori graduated with a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara. There, she completed an honors thesis with Dr. Hongbo Yu on the moral standing to blame at a group level. She was also the lab manager for Dr. Michael Beyeler’s Bionic Vision Lab, and an active research assistant in Dr. Regina Lapate’s LEAP Neuroscience Lab. Broadly, Tori is interested in further understanding empathy and the ways in which it shapes social interactions. In her free time, Tori enjoys aerial silks, trapeze, decorating cakes, and making charcuterie boards.
Leena Bennetto, undergraduate researcher
Leena is a senior studying Psychology at Princeton University from Vernon, BC, Canada. Working with Judy Kim, she will research the intersection of chronic illness and mental health, and the potential role that narrative psychology plays in the comorbidity of physical and psychological illness. Leena also has multiple professional titles with Princeton Women’s Tennis, and aspires to pursue a tennis career post-grad. In her free time, Leena enjoys art, particularly animal realism.
GRACE Porter, Undergraduate researcher
Grace is a senior studying Psychology at Princeton from Oakland, California. Working with Sally Xie on her identity transformation project, Grace is interested in exploring the similarities and differences between quantitative and qualitative mental health data. Through this research, she hopes to gain insight on the reliability of different self-measurement tools– ultimately highlighting the unique experiences of those struggling with mental illnesses and meaning making. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to the movies, and spending time outside.
Kamden Hill, Undergraduate Researcher
Kamden is a junior studying Psychology and minoring in Philosophy at Princeton University from St. Louis, Missouri. He is interested in how personal and collective experiences influence the development and transformation of moral frameworks. Outside of the lab, Kamden enjoys playing chess and watching debates.
Aunyae Romeo, undergraduate researcher
Aunyae is a junior at Princeton University majoring in psychology and minoring in African American Studies and Gender and Sexuality studies. She is interested in how social experiences affect behavior and decision-making in intimate relationships. Under the guidance of Adam Morris, Aunyae will help investigate the awareness of implicit choice mechanisms. Outside of academics, she is a dancer and proud foodie.
Layka Traore, Undergraduate Researcher
Layka Traore is a junior at Princeton University, majoring in psychology with a minor in cognitive science. Her research interests focus on the interplay between cognitive processes and behavioral inclinations, particularly how emotions and cognitive biases influence ethical decision-making. Under the mentorship of Yoonseo Zoh, Layka will explore these dynamics further in her research. In her free time, Layka enjoys reading, creative writing, playing the violin, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
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lab ALUMNI
William Brady (postdoc, now Assistant Professor at Northwestern Kellogg School of Management)
Ryan Carlson (PhD student, now postdoc at University of Chicago)
Clara Colombatto (postdoc, now Assistant Professor at University of Waterloo)
Luis Sebastian Contreras-Huerta (PhD student, now Assistant Professor at Universidad Adolfo Ibanez)
Brian Earp (PhD student, Senior Research Fellow at University of Oxford)
Jim Everett (PhD student, now Associate Professor at University of Kent)
Nadira Faber (postdoc, now Professor at University of Bremen)
Filip Gesiarz (lab manager, now Research Advisor at Behavioural Insights Team)
Andreas Kappes (postdoc, now Associate Professor at City University London)
Caleb Kealoha (lab manager, now PhD student at Harvard Business School)
Patricia Lockwood (postdoc, now Associate Professor at University of Birmingham)
Anne-Marie Nussberger (PhD student, now postdoc at Max Planck Center for Humans and Machines)
Annayah Prosser (lab manager, now Assistant Professor at University of Bath)
Elisa van der Plas (MSc student, now Senior Data Scientist at Netherlands Ministry of Justice & Security)
Nicholas Sabin (postdoc, now Associate Professor at Universidad de Santiago de Chile)
Yeon Soon Shin (postdoc, now Assistant Professor at Bryn Mawr College)
Jenifer Siegel (PhD student, now postdoc at Columbia University)
Lauren Wilkins (lab manager, now Research Associate at the Yale LGBTQ+ Mental Health Initiative)
Hongbo Yu (postdoc, now Assistant Professor at UC Santa Barbara)
Daniel Yudkin (postdoc, now Senior Advisor at More In Common)
Media Copyright Information: Group Photo taken by Sameer Khan of Fotobuddy Photography