PhD Students
Jake Siamro, BSc, MA
I am a PhD student in the Social Psychology program at Wilfrid Laurier University, having
completed my BSc at Carleton University and my MA at Laurier. I am working in the IMPETuS
lab for my Comprehensive Research Project.
My research interests broadly fall into the categories of social, personality, and political
psychology. My interests with the IMPETuS lab broadly focus on the factors that contribute to
political polarization. Specifically, I am interested in how specific beliefs—such as those rooted
in emotional reasoning and 'us vs. them'; thinking—contribute to the increasing hostility and
division on college campuses. The role of social media in fostering such beliefs is also of
particular interest.
Masters Students
Maren Scullion, BA
I am a second year MA student in the Social Psychology program at Wilfrid Laurier University, having completed my BA in psychology also at WLU. I am broadly interested in topics in social and political psychology, with an emphasis on social media and how psychological processes shape interactions with social media platforms. My current research focuses on how perceptions of censorship can impact the effectiveness of content moderation, and examining ways to guard fact-checking methods against these effects.
Alexis Williamson-Rothensee, BA
Having completed degrees in Kinesiology and Psychology (Research Specialist) at Wilfrid Laurier University, my research interests as an MA student centre on attitudes toward abortion care and gender equity. I am particularly interested in understanding how the current political climate shapes beliefs about reproductive rights, and in examining ways to foster productive conversations around contentious topics, such as abortion care.