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Our Mission
The Mosley Lab at UC Davis is dedicated to advancing racial equity by investigating and communicating scientific findings on social inequality and strategies to overcome systemic barriers.
Our lab conducts experimental research in social psychology, focusing on intergroup relations, social cognition, diversity, objectification, dehumanization, fetishism, structural racism across healthcare and legal systems, intersectionality, stigma, and social identity.
We are committed to making science accessible to the public because we believe that social psychological research provides critical insights into how people think, behave, and interact in social contexts. By sharing empirical findings with broader communities, we aim to raise awareness of societal inequities and inform interventions that promote justice, equity, and inclusion.
Meshawn Ware, Lab Manager
Project: Investigating intersectional race and gender stereotypes in children's cartoons
I graduated UC Davis in Spring 2025 with a B.A. in the Psychology department. As well as working as a research assistant in the HERD lab, I am the lab manager for the Mosley lab, ran by Ariel J. Mosley. I am hoping to learn as much as I can over the next year doing lab work to ready myself for Grad school applications. My research interests involve how identity is shaped by media consumption in childhood and adolescence, as well as what role models are available to young kids on tv and in movies. In this realm, I’d really like to examine the social influence of the animated shows kids are consuming and how that shapes their development. In my free time, I enjoy reading fantasy novels and going out to the movies.
Contact:mmware@ucdavis.edu
Sabrina Banks, Undergrad RA
My research interests lie at the intersection of social psychology and structural forces. In particular I'm interested in how power, identity, and institutional norms shape individual and group behavior. I am also fascinated by emergent social phenomena, identity based withdrawal, processes of exclusion and inclusion within social systems. Broadly my interests are motivated by questions about how social inequities are maintained, challenged or reproduced through everyday social interactions and collective behavior. I am from Central California, specifically Visalia. Outside of the lab I enjoy playing my guitar, painting and spending time with my loved ones.
Contact: sabanks@ucdavis.edu
Andra Cheng, Undergrad RA
Project: Investigating Asian American's assimilation to White cultural values
Contact: adrcheng@ucdavis.edu
Iolanda Lobo Ferreria, Undergrad RA
My name is Iolanda Lobo Ferreira and I am a Latina undergraduate student majoring in psychology and philosophy! I am deeply interested in applying current findings from the Cognitive Psychology field, into Social Psychological lines of questioning. For example, how can our face recognition mechanisms influence racial biases that we develop and how to address them in the general population? My hobbies are very similar to my research interests, as they revolve around social movements and activism. I feel deeply passionate about utilizing psychology to heal, improve and change the world, a passion which is directly linked to where I come from! My home country, Brazil, where I learned the importance of education and realized the responsibility we owe to the world when we have the accessibility to such education. This is where my desire to expand our discussions regarding oppressed groups through a psychological and philosophical lens came from!
Contact: ilferreria@ucdavis.edu
Daezhon Gilbarg, Undergrad RA
Project: Investigating intersectional stereotypes of shifting sexuality in harassment contexts
Contact: dngilbarg@ucdavis.edu
Aura Jackson, Undergrad RA
Project: Investigating perceptions of consumer fetishization and endorsement of Black stereotypes
Contact: aurjack@ucdavis.edu
Sechan Kim, Undergrad RA
My research interests lie in combining the realms of social and clinical psychology, with the hopes of providing an outlet for neurodivergent voices. I would like to uncover struggles that are often overlooked, especially for those with hidden disabilities; particularly, I am interested in people with ADHD, ASD, and other developmental disorders. I plan on examining how current social structures either promote or inhibit growth for the ADHD community, and highlighting specific methods and solutions that make this world more accessible for all. A bit more about me is that I am from the east Bay Area, in Northern California, and outside of the lab, I enjoy singing, playing video games, writing lyrics, eating some good food, and community service opportunities!
Contact: scnkim@ucdavis.edu
Michelle Lam, Undergrad RA
I am a third-year student majoring in psychology (BA) and minoring in education. In terms of the field I want to go to, I want to become an MFT or researcher. I have decided to be in this lab because I want to explore different options of what I can use in graduate school and for future reference. As I join Dr. In Mosley's first-time lab, I hope to learn a lot and gain experience in the research study to help me achieve my goal of becoming a researcher. During my free time I like to go to the gym and badminton for fun.
Contact: mmilam@ucdavis.edu
Janel Martinez Perez, Undergrad RA
My research interests are a mix between social and clinical psychology, with the goal of understanding how stigma, bias, and social hierarchies shape the experiences of individuals with intersecting identities. I am especially interested in how social and structural contexts can either reinforce or challenge these inequalities, and how research can inform more equitable, accessible mental health interventions.
I am from the Bay Area, and outside of the lab I volunteer in peer-based mental health support and crisis intervention, and enjoy spending time outdoors, listening to music, and reading.
Contact: kmartinezperez@ucdavis.edu
Earl Laurence Magsayo, Undergrad RA
I’m a fourth year Psychology (BS) student with minors in Public Health Science and Medical Humanities. I’m very interested in psychological aspects of the human body, especially in the fields of psychiatry or being a researcher in neural development and behavior. At the moment, I’m exploring some fields in nursing, behavior and cognitive. With being part of Dr. Mosley's lab for the first time, I hope to digest a lot of knowledge as I experience what it means to be in a collaborative research environment, and to eventually reach my career goals. During my free time, I enjoy reading light novels or manga.
Contact: emagsayo@ucdavis.edu
Jack Mcmahon, Undergrad RA
Project: Investigating collective nostalgia on intergroup relations
I am interested in research pertaining to intergroup relations, diversity, and identity; particularly in an educational setting. I hope to have a career in education and want to research the kinds of biases and problems that need to be addressed at a systemic level. I am from Walnut Creek, California. My hobbies outside the lab include basketball, watching movies, reading, and spending time with my pets.
Contact: jhmcmahon@ucdavis.edu
Libby Oye, Undergrad RA
I am an undergraduate research assistant interested in intergroup relations and social cognition, with a focus on perceptions, stigma, and stereotype threat as they relate to individuals with overlapping identities. I am particularly interested in how these processes shape everyday experiences and interactions, as well as how social and structural contexts influence outcomes across different settings. I am from Northern California. Outside of the lab, I work with education tools and support students through one-on-one intervention. This work has given me direct experience engaging with students and thinking about how research connects to practice. I am interested in understanding how insights from social psychology can inform approaches to intervention and support, particularly in contexts where individuals experience unequal treatment or access.
Contact: eyoe@ucdavis.edu
Tatiana Stadnic, Undergrad RA
Contact: tstadnic@ucdavis.edu
Sidney Wang, Undergrad RA
I am an undergraduate research assistant interested in intergroup relations and social cognition, with a focus on perceptions, stigma, and stereotype threat as they relate to individuals with overlapping identities. I am particularly interested in how these processes shape everyday experiences and interactions, as well as how social and structural contexts influence outcomes across different settings. I am from Northern California. Outside of the lab, I work with education tools and support students through one-on-one intervention. This work has given me direct experience engaging with students and thinking about how research connects to practice. I am interested in understanding how insights from social psychology can inform approaches to intervention and support, particularly in contexts where individuals experience unequal treatment or access.
Contact: sdhwang@ucdavis.edu
Abbey Miller, B.A. Florida International University,
Sam Moette
UC Davis
Eva Meza, B.A.,
UC Davis
Aline Da Silva Frost, PhD, Northwestern University
Matt Elderkin, B.A.,
UC Davis
Emily Gelarian, B.A.,
University of Kansas
Rebekka Twine, M.A.,
UC Davis
We are excited to review applications for graduate students for the incoming 2026-2027 year!
We are especially excited to accept applications from McNair Scholars!
The graduate scholar will work closely with Dr. Mosley on research examining how people perceive and reason about social inequality, as well as have opportunities to collaborate with and mentor the lab's trainees. The scholar will also join the vibrant research environment at UC Davis Psychology, including experts in Social, Personality, Developmental, Biological, Statistical Psychology and more.
The ideal candidate will have experience with quantitative social psychological research, as well as strong methodological, data-analytic, and writing skills. Promising candidates will also value working in a highly collaborative environment and have demonstrated commitment to issues of social justice and decolonialism. Please feel free to explore this website to learn more about the lab and our community, as well as to read some of our publications.
If you are interested in joining the lab as a postdoctoral associate please email Dr. Mosley. Qualified candidates should send their CV and a cover letter/statement that explains their interest in the position, as well as describes their a) qualifications, b) current/past research experience(s), and c) general career interests to ajmosley@ucdavis.edu. Please also include the names and email addresses of 3 professional references.
We are accepting volunteer research assistant (RA) positions each semester, including summers, who are passionate about learning about science and solving issues of social justice. We typically recruit RA's who can commit to working approximately nine hours a week (or more), and at least three quarters. RA positions tend to fill several weeks before the beginning of each semester, but we will consider applications at any time.
Becoming a RA is an excellent way to gain hands on experience and prepare yourself for a career in academia, applied research, or any field. My students have gone on to top-graduate programs, business schools, medical schools, and so on. You will gain experience of many aspects of research life, and develop skills such as data analysis, communication, teamwork, and problem solving that can be applied to any industry.
As a research assistant in the lab, you may have the opportunity to participate in all phases of the research cycle, from idea conception to dissemination. Many of my students go on to present at national and international conferences and secure authorship on manuscripts. Undergraduate RA's also have the opportunity to participate in the lab for Psyc 199 credit, and develop their own independent research projects.
If you are interested in joining the lab as an RA, please email a completed RA Application to ajmosley@ucdavis.edu.
Keep an eye out for us at
The European Association for the Society for Social Psychology Convention, Straussberg, France 2026!
The Society for Personality & Social Psychology Annual Convention, Philidalphia, PA 2027!
Olivia Duchow
Auburn University
Ashlee Brown, B.A.,
UC Santa Cruz
Trevor Lies M.A.,
Norfolk University
Kieran Heil
Tara Saeed
Emily Ma
Victoria Quitevis
Rowan Carey Clark
Jamie Serrano
Ernika Rabiei
Abi Ibarra-Iglesias
Gisselle Alejandres Sandoval
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