PRINCIPLE INVESTIGATOR
Xiaowen Xu
Dr. Xu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the College of William & Mary. She is interested in understanding how differences in political ideology are shaped by people’s dispositions, goals, and social behaviors. She is also interested in examining how individual differences (e.g., trait personality, political orientation) affect people’s defensive responses to different types of meaning threats.
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GRADUATE STUDENTS
Joyce Forster
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Saranga Bansal
Amelia Bonheur
Lily Boone
My name is Lily Boone and I am one of the Research Assistants for Professor X’s Digi Lab. I am currently a junior majoring in Psychology. Some of my other research experiences include a systematic review on disordered eating/ body dissatisfaction in women of color as well as being a Charles Center City Research Intern for Summer 2024.
Lana Cowley
Lilly Dean
Marissa Del Zingaro
Marissa is a senior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Kinesiology & Health Sciences. She is a third-year research assistant in the Disposition, Goals & Ideology Lab and has worked on projects about media content and police brutality, which utilized EEG technology. Her research interests focus on social media consumption, consumer/individual behaviors, and how personality traits may account for any differences in those two areas. Marissa has also conducted an independent research project on green spaces, well-being, and personality.
Saniya Han
Audrey Murcko
Alex Popa
My name is Alex Popa (Class of 2024), and I am currently double majoring in Psychology and Computer Science. During my first semester as part of the lab, I assisted with background research for the vaccination study, but I switched next semester to the media study where I have since stayed. I am generally interested in researching how people interact with computers and both the causes of sexual orientation along with the reasoning behind other’s opinions on someone’s sexuality. Professor X’s lab has been such a highlight of my college experience, and anyone would be lucky to work with her!
Olivia Ritchey
Zannatul Shahla
Praanjal Shukla
Hi! My name is Praanjal Shukla and I am majoring in Psychology with a minor in Management & Organizational Leadership. My research interests revolve around personality differences and ways to make workplace environments more inclusive.
Matthew Sinclair
My name is Matthew Sinclair. I am a second-year student majoring in psychology. My goal for the future is to get my doctorate in clinical psychology and specialize in adolescent psychology.
Alexander Soto
Alexander Soto is a research assistant for Professor Xu’s political branding research lab and is part of The College of William and Mary’s 2024 graduating class. He is a psychology major, who likes to look deep into the complexities of social interactions, looking at topics like group dynamics and identity formation. In his spare time, Alex enjoys hiking in the scenic outdoors, playing music, and exploring the Williamsburg area. Alex is eager to continue to continue his academic journey with psychology after college, where he intends to use his psychology background to pursue various interests.
Ellie St. Martin
Ellie St. Martin is a Research Assistant in Professor Xu’s Political Branding Research Lab and will graduate in May 2024. She is interested in exploring the intricate connections between personality and political and consumer behavior and is passionate about uncovering the underlying dynamics shaping our world. Beyond academia, her love for traveling has taken her on study-abroad trips to Scotland and Singapore. She also enjoys running, hiking, and spending time outdoors.