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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.
Stephanie Oliinyk, PhD Candidate
Dissertation Title: Borrowed Culture, Built Nationalism: Investigating How Benefit Finding of Cultural Appropriation Sparks Racial Identity and Nationalistic Pride
Contact: sloliinyk@ucdavis.edu
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
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
Jack Mcmahon, Undergrad RA
Project: Investigating collective nostalgia on intergroup relations
Contact: jhmcmahon@ucdavis.edu
Libby Oye, Undergrad RA
Contact: eyoe@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
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
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 Society for Personality & Social Psychology Annual Convention, Chicago, Illinois 2026
The European Association for the Society for Social Psychology Convention, Straussberg, France 2026!
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