Lab Director
Dr. Irmak Olcaysoy Okten
Dr. Irmak Olcaysoy Okten is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Florida State University. She received her M.S. and Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Lehigh University. She earned her B.A. in Political Science and International Relations and M.A. in Social Psychology from Bogazici University. She is also a first-generation college graduate. Olcaysoy Okten's research investigates social cognitive and motivational processes underlying person-perception and interpersonal interactions.
Graduate Students
Ayanna Brewton
Ayanna is a first-generation college graduate of Georgia Southern University where she earned her B.A in Psychology and minored in Sociology. Her research explores the intersections between biased perceptions of individuals and groups with prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. Her work pulls from several areas of research, such as impression formation, bias regulation, and motivational factors. Through her research focus she aspires to further extend the field's understanding of indicators and consequences of biases on behalf of underrepresented populations.
Julia Lombard
Julia is a college graduate of the State University of New York at New Paltz where she earned her Bachelors in Psychology with a minor in Evolutionary Studies. Currently, she seeks to extend the literature on positive, self-transcendent emotions, such as awe, as they relate to intellectual humility, the capacity to reflect on limitations in one’s knowledge and self-regulate beliefs. Julia’s research interests encompass social perception, the adaptive function of emotions, and various topics in positive psychology.
Enhui Wang
Enhui is a recent graduate of Wake Forest University, where she earned her Master’s degree in Psychology. Her research interests lie broadly in social cognition, with a specific focus on impression formation, impression updating, and biases in social perception. She is particularly interested in how individuals make sense of the social world and how these processes can be shaped or disrupted by underlying cognitive and motivational factors. Enhui aims to take an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the mechanisms behind social understanding and to inform interventions that reduce bias and promote social equity.
Lab Coordinators
Morgan Drummond
Morgan Drummond is a third-year psychology student minoring in business analytics and Spanish. She was originally introduced to the MSC Lab as a research assistant through the 2024-2025 UROP Program before beginning a Co-Lab Coordinator position in the Spring of 2025. Her interests lie in areas of social psychology such as group dynamics, organizational behavior and leadership styles. Upon completing her undergraduate studies, she plans to continue her education in an Industrial/Organizational Psychology graduate program. She hopes to use her time in the Motivated Social Cognition Lab to gain a greater understanding of the processes of social psychology research and contribute to the study of interpersonal relations.
Daniel Adams
Daniel Adams is a senior undergraduate student majoring in Psychology with a minor in business. His current research interests center on intellectual humility, the recognition of the limitations and potential fallibility of one’s own knowledge, and how it may predict behaviors. He seeks to explore the connections between social psychological constructs and mental health topics. Looking ahead, he aspires to pursue a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and a Masters in Sports Psychology. The Motivated Social Cognition Lab provides him with a strong foundation of quality research practices as it nurtures scholarly ambitions.
Current Undergraduate Students
MJ Pierre
MJ Pierre is a third year student at Florida State University and is beyond grateful for the opportunity to further her research in the Motivated Social Cognition Lab. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. Her ultimate goal is to earn her PhD in Social Psychology after her undergraduate studies, with a specific concentration on mentorship and nontraditional family systems. Through this lab, she will refine her research skills, engage in meaningful discussions, and contribute to studies that deepen our understanding of bias, group dynamics, and social belonging. She is excited to be part of a team that fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and a commitment to impactful psychological research.
Annette is currently a third year student at FSU double majoring in Social Work and Psychology. She plans on pursuing her Master's in Social Work after graduating this upcoming summer, and hopefully obtaining her PhD in Clinical Psychology. She views social psychology as a foundation for any field and mastering self-development in oneself. This is especially important for her future work using different therapeutic modalities to treat clients as an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker). She is mainly interested in interpersonal relationships and their impact on the psyche, humility, bias formation, prejudice, and stereotype formation. She plans on using the research work at the Motivated Social Cognition Lab to assist her in future research opportunities. Additionally, her work at the MSC lab will fuel her drive to always strive for excess knowledge and personal improvement in all areas of her life.
Annette Menendez
Trinity Frazier
Trinity Frazier is a second-year junior at FSU. She is majoring in psychology, with two minors in sociology and art entrepreneurship in hopes of becoming a clinical psychologist in the future. During her time at FSU, her passion for research has grown exponentially. Some of her research interests now include how internalized racism may contribute to a negative self image for marginalized populations. She is very excited to join the MSC lab and believe that this experience will significantly enhance her research skills and provide her with valuable hands-on experience with data collection! Being trained in the MSC lab will help to prepare me for her future aspirations in attending graduate school to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology.
Elizabeth Green
Elizabeth is a third year undergraduate student at Florida State University, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Criminology. She is interested in researching the social factors that contribute to the formation of stereotypes and biases within individuals, as well as how these stereotypes and biases are reinforced within social spaces (i.e., schools, work environments, etc.). She is also interested in researching how biases and stereotypes within intergroup interactions can impact individuals' feelings of self-worth and even their self-expression. She plans to pursue a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology following the obtainment of her Bachelor's degree, and hopes to open her own practice in the future. She believes that her experience within the Motivated Social Cognition Lab will provide her with a great foundation in psychological research and will allow for her to obtain intricate knowledge regarding the formation, continuation, and impact of stereotypes. She believes that these factors will be highly beneficial in the treatment of her future clients who may be experiencing discrimination, isolation, and self-worth issues.
Current Research Assistants (full list):
DIS Students
Mikayla Prushik
Morgan Drummond
Annette Menendez
Lula Some
Elizabeth (Liz) Green
Trinity Frazier
Nilaja Grant
Honors in the Major Thesis Students
Daniel Adams
Marcnell P. (MJ) Pierre
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Volunteers
Alexa Harkness
Shabely Fernandez