Who we are
Principal Investigator
Dr. Marjorie Prokosch
(She/her)
Hi! I am an experimental Social Psychologist who broadly speaking, studies motivated social cognition. I examine how aspects of our environments (e.g., social, physical, structural, or built factors) impact people’s perceptions, attitudes, and decision-making. I am especially interested in the ways that people attend to, interpret, and react to threats to health and safety. I also examine the intersections between people’s individual differences and environment that produce shifts in social cognition. For example, I have been involved in projects that investigate relationships between bodily immune function (e.g., inflammation) and behavioral immune function (e.g., disgust). In another line, I examine individual differences (e.g., in worldview) that shape people’s political decisions about how we should mitigate disaster risk and approach climate change.
To learn more about me, my interests, or download a copy of my CV, please visit my personal research website.
Graduate Students
Daniel Lindberg - Incoming, Spring 2025. Stay tuned!
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Willow Rose
Lab Manager, Climate Projects Coordinator
(She/They)
Hi, I am a fourth-year psychology major at RIT and the lab manager of SCAPE lab. After graduation I plan to go to grad school and pursue a PhD. My end goal is to become a professor. I have a wide range of academic interests including philosophy, political theory, and sociology which I believe allows for a deeper understanding of human behavior and psychological theory and helps inform my research. I am specifically interested in investigating the role of mental imagery in representing social information and the ways that social stratification influences our thinking. I have been a member of SCAPE lab for two years and am looking forward to another great year of research!
Ava El-Sayed
I am a third year psychology/international studies major with an immersion in ASL. My course tracks are bio, social, and sustainable futures. I will be graduating Spring 2025 and I am currently searching for graduate programs. My interests include sustainability, Deaf culture, the relationship between culture and the natural environment, cultural beliefs about interpersonal relationships, political science, biological components of mental health, and the influence of culture on public health, specifically exercise and mental health. I am excited to learn more about research design and finding practical ways to apply research.
Matt Barbaro
Bio Pending
Senior Thesis Students
Lab Alumnae and Former Lab Pictures
Dani Wolfe
(They/Them)
Hi! I am a master's student in RIT's Experimental Psychology program, primarily researching race effects. Specifically, I am interested in how communities perceive police officers and departments, as well as the experiences of minority police officers. I am very interested in how social environments (like historical community development) shape attitudes and beliefs. My ultimate objective is to get a PhD in social psychology and continue in academia.
In the SCAPE Lab at RIT, I help manage and run studies. I work with our research assistants to develop schedules and troubleshoot issues in the lab. I also support independent research interests through assisting with conference presentations and supporting study formation. Through the SCAPE Lab at RIT, I have improved my understanding of what community research entails and the importance of community acceptance to successfully do this research.
Chase Martin
Visiting Lab Member / Grad Assistant, Fall 2023
(He/Him)
I am a 1st year grad student in the Experimental Psychology program. I have attended RIT before majoring in Psychology B.S. My research interests align with Cultural Psychology (I am interested in exploring anxiety and somatic symptoms) across collectivistic and individualistic culture perspectives. I am also interested in cognitive psychology, comparing executive functioning on Deaf and hard of hearing individuals on reaction time on the Stroop Test. When I am not working, I enjoy reading fantasy books, going for hikes, or writing short stories, and watching Kdramas on Netflix.
Currently: TAing Clinical Psychology Courses!
Quinn Mitchell
(They/Them)
Hello! I received my bachelor’s in Psychology in Fall 2023 (summa cum laude) and participated in the Master's portion of RIT’s BS/MS program for Psychology - Experimental Psychology, working on my thesis with Dr. John Edlund. My focus is in social psychology, specifically surrounding attitudes and biases against queer and academic communities, as well as influences affecting communication patterns in relationships. One of my interests in research at the moment concerns metascience and how authors of varying identities may be impacted by publishers, colleagues, or the general public in terms of being received and their experiences behind it. My end goal is to achieve a PhD in social psychology and return to academia.
Typically on campus, I can be found working in the various psychology labs or in the Writing Center as a peer consultant for students looking for guidance on their writing. Off campus, I like to spend my time with my two cats, Percy and Wasabi, and exploring themes in creative writing through the use of world and character building. I’m a huge Pokemon and SpongeBob nerd and I love to collect blankets for my cats.
Currently: A research project team member at University of Rochester!
Kas Claussen
2023-2024 Undergraduate Lab Manager
(They/Them)
Greetings! I am a graduating senior at RIT and majoring in psychology & criminal justice, with minors in ASL and legal studies. I'm a first-generation college student originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia. My personal research interests include: causes of aggressive and risky behavior; the bidirectional relationship of the ecological model and individual outcomes; and familial effects on mental health and personal relationships. I’m excited to currently be working in the SCAPE lab as I work on my applications for graduate programs in both clinical and forensic psychology: as well as completing my senior thesis assessing the effects of family structure and inter-parental conflict on college adjustment. Outside of academia, I enjoy reading, creative writing, baking, and completing volunteer work around Monroe county.
Currently: A master's student in Clinical Psychology at SUNY Buffalo!
Buyi Owo-Odusi
(She/Her)
Hi! I’m a third year Biomedical Sciences major, from Lagos, Nigeria. I’m on the Pre-Med track with a minor in Business Administration. My research interests fall under the umbrella of social justice and agency, including, gender biases and social interactions, reproductive health education, health disparities and their intersection with sociodemographic disadvantages, mental health in the education system, among others. I plan to apply to medical school and pursue my MBA after my time here at RIT. I’m excited to continue working in SCAPE as I explore social concepts further and gain more research experience. When I’m not working, in class or in the lab, you’ll find me reading, dancing or binge watching whatever show I stumbled across that week!
Jamison Fick
(He/They)
Greetings! I am a third year psychology major at RIT with a focus on the clinical and cognitive fields. I am minoring in Applied Cognitive Neuroscience and have an immersion in German. My academic interests are quite varied- the field of psychology is incredibly fascinating and I can find wonder in any part of it; though sections like behavioral science, cognitive processes, and positive psychology really pique my interest. While I have not yet committed, I have been considering a master's or other graduate program to further my understanding of specific fields of interest. I'm originally from Scottsville, Virginia, but where I will be in the future is going to be a surprise even for me. I look forward to working in the SCAPE lab and gaining crucial lab and other research experience. Outside of college, I am an avid horseback rider of 10+ years. I have several cats at home and I enjoy playing video games, drawing, and singing.
SCAPE Lab 2022-2023
Front row (left to right): Dani Wolfe, Marjorie Prokosch
Back row (left to right): Quinn Mitchell, Willow Rose, Kas Claussen
Pose of the year: "The Thinker
