Interpersonal Processes and Social Cognition Laboratory (IPSC)

Located at the University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK, USA

Laboratory Director: Robert D. Mather, Ph.D.

Mission: To examine the social psychological factors of interpersonal processes.

Goal: To conduct basic and applied research on social cognition.

Research Areas: Social Psychology, Social Cognition, Attribution, Interpersonal Processes, Automaticity, and Attitudes.

Scope:

--Basic and applied research on the social inference process.

--Basic and applied research on optimism and pessimism.

--Basic and applied research on automaticity of social behavior.

--Basic and applied research on attitudes and persuasion.

--Basic and applied research on bias correction.

Description of the IPSC Laboratory Research

Scientists in the Interpersonal Processes and Social Cognition Laboratory (IPSC) examine interpersonal processes, primarily automatic processes of social perception. IPSC scientists study how expectancies (such as optimism and pessimism) and goals influence social judgments. In this research, we test predictions derived from theories of social cognition regarding the interface of automaticity, attribution, person perception, and ironic processes.

There are three main lines of research in the IPSC Laboratory. First, IPSC scientists examine the roles of factors such as goals, future-event expectancies, and cognitive resource depletion in the process of making social judgments. Suppression goals in one task (such as to avoid negative thoughts) are more seriously hampered by cognitive load compared to goals that direct attention to a type of thought (such as to focus on positive thoughts). The content of the goals can influence whether or not a rebound effect occurs when an individual attempts a subsequent social judgment task. IPSC scientists also explore the conditions under which perceivers with chronic pessimistic expectations correct for their negative biases regarding other people. Second, IPSC scientists test behavioral hypotheses regarding the Interpersonal Expectancy Scale, which measures general expectancies about other people’s interpersonal behaviors, intentions, characteristics, capabilities, and outcomes. Third, IPSC scientists test hypotheses derived from theories of social cognition and their relationship to human factors of automobile driving and transportation safety. This novel application of social cognitive theories and methods has also integrated methods used in examining visual perception.

Techniques of Measurement

Student Publications and Presentations

Current Members

Alumni

Personnel (information on lab positions and instructions on the application procedure for joining the lab)

Resources for Lab Members