Social Context & Inequality (SCI) Lab
We are interested in understanding the psychology of place, particularly as it pertains to intergroup dynamics and social perceptions. For example, we investigate how inequality across contexts influences social judgments, perceptual biases, and behavior. We ask questions like: are implicit biases linked to environmental features, particularly those signaling inequality? What explains geographical differences in bias? How do people perceive places and the people who live there? How do places shape behavior?
We also focus on the psychology of time. We examine how perceptions of time shape beliefs and behavior. We focus on questions such as: What are people’s estimates of how long it takes to develop certain skills? How do those perceptions shape what they prioritize and how they view themselves? Are there social inequities in time affordances and social differences in time perceptions? How do these differences impact outcomes?
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Prospective Graduate Students
Dr. Vuletich will be reviewing applicants for Fall 2024 admission. If you are interested in the DU psychology graduate program, please visit the department website to learn more about how to apply.
Research Assistants
Being a research assistant (RA) provides lab-based experience critical to exploring psychology as a career. RA positions in our lab are competitive, and require an application and an interview.
RAs generally help with tasks such as data and stimulus coding, stimulus generation, running participants, and later in their time in the lab, more advanced and intellectually-enriched tasks, such as data analysis.
RAs spend 8–10 hours per week in the lab and are asked to commit for 3 quarters in total (the first quarter enables us to evaluate if this is a good fit for you).
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Research Assistantship for Credit
RAs learn a great deal about the basic elements of the research process and can therefore get class credit for their research assistantship (PSYC 2112 credits). PSYC 2112 credits can count towards your major or minor elective credits.
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Research Assistantship as Work-Study
If you have a work-study allowance, you can work as an RA as a work-study student. To complete work-study hours, you need to have been awarded a federal work-study award in your yearly FAFSA award package.
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Requirements and Application Process
If you are interested in joining the lab as an RA, please fill out the application. If you have questions, please email Ayla Winegar (Ayla.Winegar@du.edu).
