Heejung Kim

Heejung Kim is interested in the cultural influences on psychological processes. In particular, her research examines 1) cultural differences in the perception and the effect of self-expression, 2) cultural differences in the use of social support, and 3) how social and cultural factors influence decision making. In so doing, she addresses the implications of these culturally specific cognitive, affective and behavioral tendencies for health, educational, and environmental outcomes.

E-mail: heejung.kim@psych.ucsb.edu

Office: Psychology East, Room 3813

Hayley Giffin

Hayley received her B.A. in Psychology and Economics from Claremont McKenna College in 2020. Before starting at UCSB, she worked for two years as an applied researcher at Cisco. Her primary research interest is the impact of culture on social relationships and decision making, especially between individuals with different cultural identities. She is also interested in sustainability, well-being, and group dynamics. Outside of the lab, Hayley enjoys hiking, yoga, cooking, and coffee.

Guillem Fernández Villà

Guillem received his B.Sc. in Psychology from the University of Barcelona in 2018 and his M.Sc. in Cultural Psychology from the University of Amsterdam in 2020. Before joining the Cultural Psychology Lab at UC Santa Barbara, he worked as a researcher at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement. His research examines how culture, social context, and language shape social interactions and relationships across group boundaries. Outside of research, Guillem enjoys cooking, reading, staying active, and spending time with friends and family.

Zhaoquan (Harold) Wang

Zhaoquan received his B.S. in Psychology Honors and B.A. in Economics Honors from Boston College in 2025. Before joining the Cultural Psychology Lab at UC Santa Barbara, he worked as a research assistant at Arizona State University. His research interest is in how cultural, social, and religious context shapes individuals' moral values. Specifically, how the social environments people are raised in and the values those environments instill shape people's perceptions, judgments, and decision-making. When not doing research, he enjoys playing fighting games, collecting soccer jerseys, and playing board games with friends.