FLORIDA SOCIAL COGNITION AND EMOTION LAB
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Lab Members

Graduate Students (Primary)


PictureEmail: yijun.lin@ufl.edu
Yijun Lin is a third-year doctoral student in Social Psychology at the University of Florida. She works primarily with Dr. Erin Westgate in the Florida Social Cognition & Emotion Lab. She received an M.S. in Integrated Marketing from New York University and a B.S. in Psychology from Beijing Normal University. She has broad interests in motivation, self-regulation, and emotions. Her primary work focuses on procrastination, understanding the emotional mechanisms of procrastination and how to promote goal striving when procrastinating.

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PictureEmail: joshua.perlin@ufl.edu
Joshua Perlin​ is a third-year graduate student in Dr. Erin Westgate’s Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab at the University of Florida. He attended Emory University for his undergraduate degree, earning a B.A. in psychology with a minor in ethics. At Emory, he worked in Dr. Robyn Fivush’s Family Narratives Lab, where he cultivated an interest in approaching the self as an ongoing story through time. After graduating, he was a lab manager for the Identity and Diversity Lab at Duke University under the direction of Dr. Sarah Gaither. His research interests concern how linking the self to the past and future through storytelling—both within one’s own lifetime and across generations—can promote the good life. Additionally, he is interested in how various religious and secular worldviews shape the construction of a “good life story”. His research is currently funded by an NSF GRFP.

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Email: ashleykrause@ufl.edu
Ashley Krause is a second-year doctoral student at the Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Francis Marion University in 2020. Her research interests are mainly regarding the psychology of place and well-being. She takes a socioecological approach to this by understanding how people feel connected to their physical surroundings and, in turn, how those physical surroundings impact people. Currently, she is conducting her master’s thesis on how places of attachment afford meaning in life. Ashley also enjoys putting together jigsaw puzzles, playing with her two dogs (Simba and Aslyn), and going on bike rides.
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PictureEmail: saraelishalepine@ufl.edu
S. Elisha LePine is a second year PhD student at the University of Florida under the mentorship of Dr. Erin Westgate. Areas of research interest include social emotions, moral violations, and the process of relational repair and reconciliation, especially between groups, and social comparison. Ongoing projects include cross-cultural studies on processes of forgiveness, and the impact of social comparison information on tobacco cessation success. 

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PictureEmail: anaisortiz@ufl.edu
Anaïs Ortiz is a second year doctoral student at the Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab. She received her undergraduate degree in History of Art and Hispanic Studies from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013 and took a non-linear path to psychological research after working in fashion, game design, and yoga. She is curious about contexts of thinking over contents of thinking, and how certain contexts like mindfulness help humans conceptualize cognitions and emotions as experiences of consciousness within a self-context. She has additionally extended this inquiry to the social context to examine how related indicators of well-being (i.e. self-compassion, purpose and meaning in life, etc) relate to prosocial behavior. Anaïs also teaches meditation and yoga, goes out in natureoften, and enjoys a steady rotation of DIY home projects to keep herself grounded. 

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Lab Managers & Honors Thesis Students


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Email: derek.simon@ufl.edu
Derek Simon | Lab Manager
Hi everyone! I joined the lab as a second-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology. I am now entering my third year and I am also the new lab manager for the Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab! I grew up in Delray Beach and Jupiter, Florida and identify with the pronouns he/him/his. My dream is to achieve my Ph.D. and to eventually become a professor of psychology. My research interests reside in Social and Personality Psychology, and I am currently passionate about exploring the many factors that influence our specific emotions and behaviors across different contexts. Aside from my studies, I love reading, listening to music, spending time with friends, and enjoying everything that life has to offer.

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Email: carleylustig@ufl.edu
Carley Lustig | Senior Honors Thesis
I am a fourth-year general psychology student at UF! I hope to go to dental school but have always been interested in the brain and how it creates our interpretation of the world. Social psychology is of particular interest to me especially with our current generation being heavily involved in social media. I hope that when working in the dental field a solid background in psychology will help me to better understand and treat patients! I was born and raised outside of Philadelphia and hope to continue my studies somewhere in the northeast after graduating from UF. I enjoy music, comedy, and meditation/mindfulness. My pronouns are she/her/hers.
Thesis Topic: Social media use & vacation 
Graduate Advisor: 
Anaïs Ortiz.
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Email: mcgilverykaren@ufl.edu
Karen McGilvery | Senior Honors Thesis
Hello! I am a fourth-year Family, Youth, and Community Sciences and General Psychology first-generation student from a multicultural background. I love learning about how different aspects of identity can impact our quality of life and wellbeing. Naturally, I also love everything related to psychology as it helps us understand ourselves and others. I am immensely grateful to be a part of this lab and really delve into social psychology as the research we do can be used to improve many lives. I aim to further my studies with a graduate degree related to counseling. My research study examines helping behaviors, perceived distress, perceived motivation, and perceived competence.
Thesis Topic: When expressing distress backfires
Graduate Advisor:  Elisha LePine
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Email: michellerincones@ufl.edu
Michelle Rincones-Rodriguez | Senior Honors Thesis
I am a fourth-year psychology student at the University of Florida, having previously earned an associate degree in psychology as a dual enrollment student. I am thrilled to be entering my senior year as a research assistant for the Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab, as well as a thesis student. I am interested in areas such as social cognition, well-being, time, and organizational behavior. Outside of the lab, I enjoy traveling, music, and reading!
Thesis Topic:  When overchallenge leads to boredom
Graduate Advisor:  Yijun Lin.
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Email: kwestmoreland@ufl.edu
Kendra Westmoreland
I am a 4th year Psychology and English double major at UF. I go by the pronouns she/her, and I grew up in Tampa, FL. This is my third and final year working with Dr. Westgate and her team. I love the field of Social Psychology as I am fascinated by the phenomena that shapes the way humans interact with each other. I am currently working on my Senior Honors Thesis as I graduate next May. After getting my bachelor’s, I intend to participate in an MSW program and become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Outside of academia, I enjoy creative writing, dance, and spending time outdoors. 
Thesis topic: Disrupting routines and psychological richness
Graduate advisor: Ashley Krause
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2021-2022 Lab Members and Affiliates

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2021-22 Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab Members: Marjorie Prokosch, Samantha Douglas, Anaïs Ortiz (on the tree), Gaelle El Helou, Elisha LePine (on the tree), Erin Westgate (on the tree), Yijun Lin

Previous Lab Photos


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2020-21 Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab Members: Samantha Douglas, Erin Westgate, Yijun Lin, Josh Perlin, Abhay Alaukik, Elsa Jiang, Gaelle el Helou
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Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab
Fall 2019

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  • PEOPLE
    • ERIN WESTGATE
    • GRADUATE STUDENTS
    • RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
    • LAB ALUMNI
  • RESEARCH
  • PUBLICATIONS
    • NEWS
    • MEDIA COVERAGE
    • PHOTOS
  • RESOURCES
  • PARTICIPATE
  • JOIN THE LAB