On February 8-10, 2024, Kate Thorson and Kate Turetsky, assistant professors of psychology, brought 9 Barnard students to the annual Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) conference in San Diego. SPSP is a major international conference for representatives from academia, government, non-profits, and the private sector to discuss their research, build connections, and promote the advancement of science and pedagogy in the field. The travel for the students was funded by the Kellerman Fund through the Department of Psychology. Professor Thorson and Professor Turetsky, alongside Colin Wayne Leach, professor of psychology and Africana studies, presented talks of their own.
Under the guidance of Thorson and Turetsky, the nine Barnard students who attended the conference gave presentations on their original social psychology research. Stephanie Martinez-Lopez, Sabrina Salam, and Michelle Mardones spoke about inclusion in the virtual classroom, by delving into the significance of the books and decor teachers chose to include in their virtual learning spaces during COVID-19 school closures. Maisha Alam and Tatiana Mroczek presented their research (co-authored by Rebecca Klein) on the importance of self-disclosure and responsiveness in new relationships, explaining how these factors can predict how close two people will become regardless of differences in social status. Ruixuan Zhao, Xinwan Zhang, Celia Ziliak, and Ruby Zeidman outlined a comprehensive review of the conceptualization and measurement of diversity in psychology. Ruby Zeidman also presented individual research on inclusion cues in exams and perceptions of belonging in class.
