Lab Director
Lydia Emery
Dr. Lydia Emery is an Assistant Professor in Psychology in the social psychology area at the University of Chicago. She received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Northwestern University and her B.A. in Psychology and English from Haverford College, and she completed postdoctoral training in the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Her research broadly examines romantic relationships, social class, and identity. She studies how social class influences both the challenges and strengths that people bring to their closest relationships. She also examines how relationships shape people’s identities, both individually and as a couple, as well as how people’s identities affect their relationship experiences. Click here for a copy of her CV.
Graduate Students
Primary Advisees
Mystie Saturday
Mystie Saturday is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Social Psychology program at the University of Chicago. Originally from the southeastern US, she graduated from Emory University in 2022 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. After graduating, she became a Chicago transplant, where she worked as a full-time research assistant at Northwestern University.
Her doctoral research broadly focuses on the overlap between the social world, identity, and well-being. Using mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, Mystie examines the mechanisms that influence identity development, including close relationships (platonic, romantic, and familial), socioeconomic status, and personal narratives. Ultimately, she hopes to uncover why identity development is so crucial for well-being outcomes, and to conceptualize a model for how identity development can be reimagined as a learnable skill. Click here for a copy of her CV.
Elijah Green-Longaberger
Elijah Green-Longaberger is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Social Psychology program at the University of Chicago. Elijah received their M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Villanova University and their B.S. in Psychology from Oklahoma State University.
Their doctoral research focuses on bridging the fields of intergroup relations and relationship science through investigating how individuals of different social identities interact and form close bonds. They are interested in how possessing a different identity from one’s partner may influence perceptions and behavior, both within one’s relationship and as a couple in the social world. They are also interested in marginalized identities on the relational level (e.g. interracial relationships, same-gender relationships) and how these relationships compare to traditionally studied couples. Click here for a copy of their CV.
Affiliated Students
Rachel King
PhD student with the Development of Social Cognition Lab
Rachel is a sixth-year Ph.D. student in Psychology at the University of Chicago. Rachel graduated from UW-Madison with bachelor's in psychology in 2015 and graduated from Cornell University with a master's in social psychology in 2020. Rachel's research primarily focuses on the development of socioeconomic cognition, including children's emerging reasoning about money, wealth, socioeconomic identities, and economic inequality.
Jadyn Park
PhD student with the Computational Affective and Social Neuroscience Lab
Jadyn is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Computational Cognitive Neuroscience program. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a B.A. in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology in 2020. Following graduation, she worked as a full-time research assistant at Northwestern University, where she studied executive functioning in individuals with psychosis-risk and internalizing disorders. Jadyn is broadly interested in the neural mechanisms underlying emotion/emotion regulation and how they shape our memory. She is also interested in how these processes unfold in social contexts.
Elizabeth Janey
PhD student with the Environmental Neuroscience Lab
Elizabeth is a third-year doctoral student in the Social Psychology program. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.S. in Psychology in 2021. Following graduation, she worked as a full-time lab manager at the University of Chicago. Elizabeth is broadly interested in how physical spaces interact with group identities and shape experiences and behavior, how natural environments benefit our well-being, and how Whiteness can undermine belonging in public spaces.
Maya Ingram
PhD Student with the Oishi Lab
Maya is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Social Psychology program. She graduated from Yale in 2023 where she studied English and Russian. Pivoting to psychology, she worked as a lab manager at Yale University and then at the University of Chicago. Maya is interested in how people have conceptualized a good life across time and cultures. She hopes to further investigate the underpinnings of well-being, and is especially interested in the impact our relationships have on well-being.
Research Assistants
Ilana Gellman
Ilana Gellman is a third-year student in the College, majoring in Economics and Psychology and potentially minoring in Mathematics. She plans to attend law school after graduation. Her studies in psychology focus on interpersonal relationships, nonverbal communication—including body language and facial expressions—and the use of fNRIS technology to explore social dynamics. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching TV, taking walks, and trying new restaurants with friends.
Dominique Moore
Dominique Moore is a first-year Master’s student in the Crown School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago. She received her B.A. in Computer Science from Brown University in 2018. Prior to graduate school, Dominique worked in Trust & Safety and technology, where she conducted research to inform the design of digital products and features to inhibit technology-facilitated abuse. Dominique is broadly interested in the bi-directional relationship between interpersonal relationship dynamics and well-being, particularly within children and family relationships.
Smyrna Osae
Smyrna Osae is a second-year studying Comparative Human Development who plans to attend law school. She is very interested in attachment theory, interpersonal relationships, and the sociological impacts on relationships. In her free time Smyrna enjoys reading, concerts, and trying different restaurants. On campus she's involved in the Organization of Black Students and various volunteer organizations.
Amaree Patterson
Amaree Patterson is a fourth-year student at UChicago majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience on the pre-med track. She hopes to become a psychiatrist and is eager to explore the intersections of neuroscience, psychology, and medicine to better understand and support mental well-being particularly in the context of relationships and socioeconomic status. Outside of academics, she enjoys going to the gym, attending concerts, crocheting, and being an active member of UChicago’s Survivor RSOs.
Esther Segal-Weinberger
Esther is a fourth-year student at UChicago majoring in psychology. She has a particular curiosity about how individuals’ personal identities (especially physical/mental disability) impact the quality, content, and valence of their interpersonal relationships (and vice versa). In time not spent with psychology studies and research, Esther also likes to keep up some knowledge of statistical tools, and rewatch and read critical analyses of her favorite Shakespeare plays. In the past, she’s had experience working as a teaching artist, backstage supervisor, intern, and fight-choreography assistant for a number of educational theatre companies, where her interest in more deeply understanding the behavior and feelings of others rapidly grew.
Litzy Tafolla
Litzy Tafolla is a third year in The College. She is a psychology major with the intention of following the pre-health track. Her areas of study in psychology include the internal workings of relationships, human development, and emotional ties to physical features. Her interest in medicine is prevalent in her outside activities such as being a writer for PULSE, distance running, and serving the community through numerous works of service.
Sean Wong
Sean Wong is a second-year undergraduate at UChicago, majoring in Biology and Psychology on the pre-medical track. His academic interests within psychology focus on how attachment style shapes relationship processes and outcomes. Outside the classroom, he volunteers at UChicago Medicine through the TLC program, where he provides support and companionship to patients and families. In his free time, Sean enjoys cooking, playing and listening to music, and working out.
