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Principal Investigator – Rachel Smallman, PhD.
Principal Investigator – Rachel Smallman, PhD.
I have broad interests in cognitive and motivational processes impact decision-making. Primarily, my research focuses on the function and dysfunction of counterfactual thinking, in both basic and applied contexts. Outside of the lab, I am the Director of our department’s Undergraduate Teaching Scholars Program and frequently teach our Introduction to Psychology, Social Psychology, and Teaching Scholars courses.
Email: rsmallman@tamu.edu
CV
Graduate Students
Nick Kilpatrick
Nick Kilpatrick
Nick Kilpatrick, is joining Texas A&M University in the fall of 2026 to pursue a PhD in social psychology under the guidance of Dr. Rachel Smallman. He received his B.S. degree in Psychology from the University of North Florida in 2023, then was awarded his M.S. in psychological sciences from the University of North Florida in 2026. His broad research interests involve how acute and chronic stressors shape whether counterfactual thinking functions adaptively or contributes to maladaptive rumination, with a particular focus on implications for health behavior and stress-related outcomes.
Graduate Lab Alumni
Kianna Arthur
Kianna Arthur
I graduated from Lewis-Clark State College with a B.S. in Psychology in 2018. I am currently pursuing a PhD in Social and Personality Psychology under the guidance of Dr. Rachel Smallman. Broadly speaking, I am interested in the functionality of counterfactual thoughts (“If only…”) in health-related contexts. This includes both the generation and subsequent consequences of counterfactuals, specifically counterfactuals impact on an individual’s motivation and intentions to change or sustain relevant health behaviors in the future.
Email: kmarthur45@tamu.edu
CV
Jessica C. Lowe
Jessica C. Lowe
I graduated from Jacksonville State University with a Bachelors degree in psychology before earning my Master’s from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2020. Currently, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Social and Personality Psychology under the supervision of Dr. Rachel Smallman. Broadly, I am interested in counterfactual thinking relating to functionality and individual differences. Specifically, my current research is focused on understanding how counterfactual thoughts (i.e., “If only…) relate to one’s motivation and self-efficacy.
Email: lowejc@tamu.edu
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