Mentor: Dr. Erika Carlson
Associate Professor
Project Description
Who knows what they are like in daily life? Are people with more self-knowledge of how they behave more psychologically adjusted? People have pondered about the degree and benefits of self-knowledge for centuries but research on the topic has been difficult due methodological difficulties inherent to measuring self-knowledge. As researchers, we would like to know if, for example, the people who say they are outgoing in daily life actually do socialize and talk a lot. Until recently, it has been difficult to measure behavior in daily life without using self-reports, but with recent advances in smart phone technology, it is now possible to measure how people behave in daily life. The current project uses data from the PAIRS study where participants wore a device that recorded auditory snippets of their daily life (e.g., talking, location). Using behavioral coding of that data, we will index self-knowledge of behavior (i.e., how well do self-reports line up with actual behavior?) as well as correlates of self-knowledge (e.g., do people with more self-knowledge enjoy better relationships and well-being?). The results of this work will shed light on the attributes and outcomes associated with self-knowledge as well as pave the way for future intervention work designed to improve self-knowledge.
Does this project require the SROP Student to be in-person or remote? Either one
Mentorship Statement
As the first person in my family to go to university, I was fortunate to have fantastic mentors explain (and model) a career in academia. I’m eager to pay it forward by helping students navigate the unfamiliar terrain of academia, specifically by facilitating their journey in identifying and developing their interests and personal strengths. To achieve these goals, I meet with students weekly in both individual as well as in group lab meetings where we talk both about academic content and about personal development (e.g., which aspects of research feel good versus difficult and why?). With respect to research skills in particular, an SROP student would receive extensive training on construct validity (e.g., how can we index self-knowledge in ecologically valid ways?), experience sampling methodology (e.g., how can we study what people are like in daily life?), statistics, and writing (i.e., producing a publication).