Brissa Barrera

Brissa is a fourth-year Psychology major with a minor in Child Development and Family Studies. She is interested in social relations and aggression within the family system. She plans to go to graduate school to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, reading,  watching movies, and spending time with her sisters.

Kayla Blunt

Kayla is a third-year psychology major with an interest in social psychology. She is fascinated by the underlying reasons behind people’s thoughts and behaviors. Kayla plans to further her studies by enrolling in a doctoral program to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology, specializing in social psychology.

In her free time, Kayla enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, trying new foods, and listening to music.

Iliana Guerena

Iliana is a third-year undergraduate Psychology major and Dance minor. She is a President’s Scholar and part of the University Honors Program. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis/specialization in Forensic Psychology. She is interested in learning what factors contribute to the development of criminal behaviors, especially those involving violence.

Outside of school, she enjoys reading, dancing, thrifting, going to new places, trying new foods, & being with her loved ones. 

Alyssa Hartmann

Alyssa is a third-year undergraduate student at CSULB majoring in psychology. Her research interests include behavioral psychology, focusing on how and why people make decisions. She plans to minor in human development and pursue a master’s in behavioral psychology.

During her free time, Alyssa enjoys reading, crocheting, hanging out with friends, and going camping.

Katrina Hawley

In her free time, she enjoys reading, tennis, and baking.

Amelia Howe

Amelia is a third-year psychology undergraduate student who plans on minoring in criminal justice studies. Her interest lies in forensic, or criminal psychology, looking at why people make the decisions they make and the societal repercussions associated with these actions. Amelia plans to pursue her passion in forensic psychology in graduate school, after obtaining her BA.

Amelia enjoys spending time in nature, where she likes running and hiking by the beach. She also enjoys reading, gardening, and listening to podcasts.

Alfonso Marquez

Alfonso is a fourth-year Psychology major with a minor in Sociology. After graduating, he plans to pursue a master’s in psychological research with a focus on the topics of social and positive psychology. He hopes to one day earn a Ph.D. and teach psychology at a university.

In his free time, Alfonso enjoys spending time with friends, reading, and photography.

Isabella Moreno

My name is Isabella Moreno and I am a fourth year undergraduate Psychology major with a minor in Forensic Studies. I am interested in learning more about the patterns of criminal behavior and the ways in which criminals’ brains function when compared to the average individual. After earning my BA, I plan to enroll in a dual doctorate program to simultaneously earn a MA and PhD in Forensic Psychology so I can conduct research in a jail setting.

I enjoy spending time with friends and family, hiking, and paddle boarding during my free time.

Alex Mosqueda

JJ Mueller-Dombois

Mariana Ramírez Lemus

Mariana is a second-year psychology student who plans on minoring in health science. In the future, Mariana hopes to pursue her PhD in clinical psychology, working with teenagers around the world.

One of Mariana’s biggest passions is traveling as it has given her the opportunity to experience and perceive the world through a different lens. In her free time, Mariana likes to paint, write, play the piano, and dance. She hopes to open a blog soon to post her stories. Mariana believes that through her writing, she can convey complex feelings such as love and loss.

Bella Rodrigues

Bella is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology with a minor in Statistics. She is interested in social dynamics within the workplace as well as human factors. After the completion of her undergrad, she plans on applying to master’s programs.

In her free time, Bella enjoys hiking, reading, and listening to music.

Evan Sakamoto

Evan received his B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach in 2024. He is interested in developmental and health psychology. He plans to pursue a master’s degree in occupational therapy.

In his free time, Evan enjoys listening to music, playing guitar, and going to concerts.

Charley Soo

Charley is a third-year undergraduate Psychology student at CSULB, who is also planning to minor in Communications. She is interested in social and clinical psychology, hoping to pursue a Ph.D. in the future to become a Clinical Child Psychologist.

In her free time, Charley enjoys surrounding herself with music, crafts, and spending time with friends.

Sofia Uribe

Sofia is currently a fourth-year psychology major with a minor in statistics. She became interested in Psychology after taking AP Psychology and later taking a couple college classes in high school. She is also interested in double majoring or taking on a minor in a field related to psychology. She has plans on continuing her education after college by going to graduate school and to one day earn either a Ph.D. or PsyD in Clinical Psychology.

Outside of academics she likes to read, listen to music, and play online games with her friends whenever possible.

Ryan Vargas

Ryan is a second-year psychology undergraduate with a minor in sociology at CSULB. His research interests involve clinical, abnormal, and social psychology and he plans to pursue an MA and Ph.D. in clinical psychology.

During his free-time he enjoys watching movies and tv shows, playing video games, listening to music, going on walks, and spending quality time with his friends.

Annie Wong

Annie is currently in route to receiving her B.A in Psychology from California State University of Long Beach as a third-year undergraduate student. Her research interests include aggression/violent behaviors, childhood development, family life, and more.

In her free time, she enjoys going to the gym, sightseeing, and listening to music/podcasts.

Zoey Allen

Dacey Bashaw

Dacey received her B.A. in Psychology from Cal Poly Pomona and then her M.A. in Psychology, Option in Psychological Research (MAPR) from CSULB.  Her research interests include aggression, risk-taking behaviors and cultural based treatments, with an emphasis on how these issues impact youth in modern society.  Now she is working towards her Ph.D. in Positive Developmental Psychology at Claremont Graduate University.

During her free time she enjoys spending time with her Chihuahua, Harley, or hanging out at the beach. She also enjoys reading fantasy and sci-fi novels.

Sydney Carpentier

Sydney graduated from CSULB with a B.A. in Psychology and was in the BUILD research program. She is currently in the Rehabilitation Science Ph.D. program at the University of Minnesota, School of Medicine. She focuses on projects related to rehabilitation for those with stroke and spinal cord injuries.

In her free time, she enjoys rowing and going on road-trips.

Alicia Castro

Alicia completed her B.A. from California State University, Long Beach and graduated from the MAPR program in 2021. In addition to working in the A & IR lab, she also worked with Dr. Bradley Pan-Weisz studying the effects of stigma and prejudice on first-generation-college students. She is now at the University of Pittsburgh working towards her Ph.D. in Social Psychology. 

Everett Delfel

Everett received his B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach in 2018, and graduated from the Master of Arts, Option in Psychological Research (MAPR) program at CSULB in 2022. His research interests include risk-taking behaviors, impulsivity, aggression and psychopathy. Everett is now in the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program pursuing his PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology.

Everett enjoys playing the violin, cycling, and martial arts in his free time.

Olivia Doornbos

Olivia worked in the A & IR lab as a psychology undergraduate student at CSULB. She is interested in behavioral and clinical psychology. In the future, she plans to continue her education and pursue a master’s in clinical psychology.

In her free time, Olivia likes to explore new coffee places, workout, and read.

Isabella Di Lauro

Isabella received her Master of Arts in Psychological Research from California State University, Long Beach in 2023 after spending both her undergraduate and graduate education in the Aggression and Intergroup Relations Lab. She will be continuing her education at Virginia Commonwealth University in Fall 2023 pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Psychology.

Isabella’s favorite part of being in the A&IR Lab was how many connections and friendships she made with her lab mates.

Patrick Elia

Patrick received his B.A. in Psychology from CSULB in 2024. He has a particular interest in Clinical Psychology and a strong passion for the intricacies of the human mind. He is devoted to furthering his knowledge in this field by pursuing a Ph.D. He served as the President of the Human Resource Management Association (HRMA) club.

In his spare time, Patrick enjoys a variety of activities. He is an avid TV show enthusiast and enjoys going on walks while listening to music. Additionally, he loves exploring new places.

Jen Ellison

Jennifer graduated from Arizona State University in 2014 with a B.S. in Psychology. She worked on the collective rumination and aggression studies on the Pedersen team and completed her Master of Arts, Psychological Research at CSULB in 2016.

Jen worked on a PTSD and insomnia clinical trial at a VA hospital in San Diego! She is back in the LA/OC area where she is enjoying meeting up with former Pedersen lab members and adventuring with her newest addition to the family: Kiwi, the golden retriever.

Briana Franco

Briana graduated with her B.A. in Psychology from CSULB and is currently getting her Masters degree from Pepperdine. Her research interests consists of emotions, personality, trauma, aggression, relationships, and childhood experiences. Outside of classes, Briana is a TA for Dr. Amirkhan in his Personality class, a tutor at the Learning Center, and a McNair Scholar. After she earns her Bachelor’s degree, Briana plans on applying to several Master’s and Ph.D. programs in personality and social psychology. She aspires to be a psychology professor in the future to conduct research and teach psychology courses at a California State University.

Elizabeth Franco

Elizabeth graduated from CSULB with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in sign language in 2023. She is currently enrolled in the MSW program at San Diego State University.

During her free time, Elizabeth enjoys thrift shopping and going to the beach.

Jeremy Feiger

Jeremy received his B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach in 2016, and graduated from the Master of Arts, Option in Psychological Research (MAPR) program at CSULB in 2018. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Nebraska.  He is interested in examining the automatic, biological, and neurocognitive factors that influence aggressive and violent behavior. Additionally, Jeremy is interested in the processes by which clinical conditions such as traumatic brain injury and psychosis can increase risk of violent behavior.

Jeremy also enjoys playing bass guitar, reading, and travelling to new cities.

Ron Flores

Ron comes from a business background and he is interested in resource allocation and how differences between people can sometimes lead to conflict. While at CSULB, he worked on multiple projects, including one exploring the relationship between inequality and aggression. He completed an M.A. in psychological research during 2018 and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in quantitative psychology at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

Erick Garica

Erick received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Irvine in 2020. He graduated from the Master of Arts, Option in Psychological Research (MAPR) program at CSULB in 2023. He is continuing his education at UC Santa Barbara in Fall 2023, pursuing a Ph.D. in Communication with an emphasis in Cognitive Science. His research interests include emotion, social contagion, decision making, and the cross-section of psychology with technology. He plans on continuing his academic journey by pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Psychology.

In his free time, he enjoys taking photographs, watching anime, going to concerts, and playing Dance Dance Revolution.

Alex Gonzalez

Alex is interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in the future. He wants to have a focus on how psychological disorders affect children and/or the Latinx community. For fun, he enjoys watching soccer (Viva Barca!), play video games, and watch movies.

David Guirgus

David worked in the lab as an undergraduate majoring in psychology. He is interested in adolescent deviant behavior, substance abuse, and psychopathy. David is now pursuing his M.S. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at CSULB.

In his free time, David likes to play basketball, read & write, and box.

Christopher Gunderson

Chris graduated from San Diego State University in 2014 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in statistics. While at CSULB, Chris worked on projects investigating the impact of collective rumination on displaced aggression. He completed his M.A. degree with an option in Psychological Research in 2017. Chris completed his Ph.D. in the Affective, Social, and Cognitive specialization at the University of Denver in 2022. Broadly, his research focuses on interpersonal deception, with a particular interest in whether we have distinctly different social, emotional, and behavioral responses to liars compared to truth-tellers, even in the absence of suspicion.

Katie Hardin

Katie joined the Aggression and Intergroup Relations lab in 2014 and worked on the collective rumination and aggression study. After graduating from the University of Southern California in 2017 with a B.A. in Psychology and minor in Criminality and Forensics, she rejoined the lab to research how alcohol priming affected displaced aggression. Katie completed her Ph.D. in the Psychological Science program at the University of California Irvine in 2023. Her primary research interests include anger, aggression, interventions, violence, and risk assessment.

Malkie Hematillake

Malkie was an RA in the A & IR lab and is currently at Mount Saint Mary’s University in the Clinical Health Psychology PsyD program. Malkie is primarily interested in using an intersectional approach to study the etiology and treatment of trauma-related disorders in marginalized populations. She is also interested in the impact of experiences of discrimination on the prognosis and presentation of both trauma-related disorders and suicidality in marginalized populations.

Wendy Heredia

Wendy received her B.S. in Criminal Justice from CSULB. She also minored in Psychology and Forensic Science. She will pursue a master’s degree in clinical psychology and strives to obtain a Ph.D. She plans to one day work as a forensic psychologist. Wendy is interested in researching social issues in the Indigenous communities as well as researching the factors that influence our ideologies.

In her free time, Wendy loves to listen to music, hang out with her family, go hiking, and bake.

Luke Jeynes

Luke graduated from California State University, Long Beach in 2017 with a double major in psychology and economics and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He is currently in the Master of Science, Option in Industrial/Organizational Psychology program at CSULB. His interests include clinical psychology, social psychology, personality, and behavioral economics. Outside of the lab, he enjoys reading, photography, and a good cup of coffee. Currently, Luke works at Pacific Life in Newport Beach, California.

Joanne Kim

Joanne worked in the A & IR lab during her senior year and after she graduated from California State University, Long Beach. Throughout her college education, she found herself captivated by the research of both Social and Clinical Psychology. Her research interests include studying behavioral interventions and the long-term effects it has on individuals suffering from mental illness and behavioral issues. After completing her undergraduate degree, Joanne is now working on continuing her education at the Master’s level and eventually the doctorate level as well.

Brooke Knauer

Brooke worked in the A & IR lab during her third year as a psychology major and child development minor at CSULB. She plans on going to grad school in the future and is leaning towards clinical or educational psychology, but she is still not completely sure yet. She loves learning everything she can within the psychology field and loves having the opportunity to help conduct research!

Fernando Licea

Fernando graduated with in 2020 with a Bachelors in Psychology and Criminal Justice at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). He is currently in the Master of Arts, Psychological Research (MAPR) program at CSU Fullerton, and would like to eventually attend a Doctoral level program (PhD). He plans on specializing in Clinical Psychology with a focus in Forensic Psychology. His research interest include examining factors that lead to aggression/violent behavior such as neurological deficits, substance abuse and addiction.

Kimberly Llontop

Kimberly worked in the A & IR lab as a first-year undergraduate student at California State University, Long Beach pursuing a bachelors degree in psychology and a minor in child development. She is currently enrolled in the M.S. in Counseling Psychology program at CSULB. Kimberly wants to help children and families cope with mental health issues that they may face due to traumatic experiences.

In her free time, she enjoys going to amusement parks and concerts.

Mayra Lopez

Alicia López-Yglesias

Alicia received her Bachelor’s in Psychology from California State University Long Beach. She is currently a graduate student in San DIego State University’s Marriage Family Therapy program and is providing counseling services at the Dede Alpert Center for Community Engagement as part of her practicum hours. In the near future, she hopes to practice as an LMFT, with a Spanish certification, working with young queer Latinx adults and/or domestic violence survivors.

Jordan McFarland

Jordan worked in the lab as a second-year undergraduate psychology student at CSULB. She is still deciding what her plans are once she earns her Bachelor’s degree but her interests are in personality, emotions, relationships, and behavior.

Outside of academics, she is a high school tutor and enjoys reading, watching movies, playing games, and hanging out with friends.

Ray McGuire

Ray worked in the lab as an undergraduate student studying psychology at CSULB. He is interested in the human factors discipline, especially cognition, display design, and visual perception. In the future, he plans to get a master’s degree in Human Factors to become an industry consultant. Ray is now in the M.S. Human Factors program at CSULB.

In his free time, Ray likes to walk to the beach, write, and play video games.

Anthony Mendez

Anthony received his Associate’s Degree in Psychology from Cerritos Community College, where he was introduced to the field of psychological research. He was a Ronald E.  McNair student at California State University, Long Beach, while pursuing his B.A. in Psychology. He is now at the University of Southern California receiving his M.S. in Applied Psychology. His interest is in Social Identity and how it affects students as they go through higher education. Outside of the lab, he enjoys going to concerts or hikes.

Nicki Mounivong

Nicki received her B.A. in Psychology and minor in Human Resource Management. She was involved with the Human Resource Management Association (HRMA) at California State University, Long Beach and was a member of Psi Chi and Phi Kappa Phi. Nicki is currently working towards her M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at San Jose State University. In her spare time, Nicki enjoys drawing, playing video games, and visiting art museums.

Joyee Niaz

Joyee Niaz graduated from CSULB with a B.A. in Psychology in 2023 and is now enrolled in the Ed.S. in School Psychology program at San Diego State University. She is interested in personality and cognitive psychology.

In her free time, Joyee loves going to concerts, exploring nature, and sewing.

Allyn Ojeda

Allyn worked in the A & IR lab as a first-year student at Cal State Long Beach, studying Psychology and Child Development. Her interest in psychology began through her older sister, who is a psychology major as well, along with her interest in how children’s minds develop based on different parenting styles and environments. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, she hopes to continue her education by attending graduate school.

During her free time however, Allyn loves to spend time at Disneyland Park with her mom and sister. She also enjoys spending time with her extended family and friends who live in San Francisco whom she visits whenever she can.

Jessie Robinson

Jessie worked in the lab as a third-year undergraduate Psychology student at CSULB. Her interests include substance abuse and psychological disorders in adolescence to adulthood. She plans to get her master’s degree, and eventually receive a PsyD. Currently, Jessie is a board member of PSA/PsiChi and a volunteer for the Crisis Textline.

In her free time, Jessie likes to paint, exercise, and swim in the ocean.

Jeremiah Sabale

Jeremiah received his B.A. in Psychology at CSULB in 2024 and is currently enrolled in the M.A. in Social, Personality and Affective Science at San Francisco State University. His research interests include intergroup relations, addictions, and mental health. Jeremiah was also a board member of the CSULB Musical Meditation Club. In the future, he plans to attend medical school to become a psychiatrist.

In his free time, Jeremiah likes to play music on his guitar & piano, meditate, play video games, and learn philosophy.

Maya Shankar

Alex Spooner

Alex graduated from CSULB with a BA in Psychology and is currently enrolled in the Clinical Psychology Master’s program at Roosevelt University. She is continuing her goal of obtaining a private practice specializing in sex and interpersonal relationships.

Outside of her studies, Alex enjoys drinking good coffee and being outside.

Andrew Taylor

Andrew’s research interests include collective rumination and revenge planning.  In his free time he enjoys fishing and backpacking.

Shane Toyohara

Shane worked in the A & IR lab as a third-year undergraduate Psychology student and graduated in 2020. Now he is working towards his M.S. in Human Factors at California State University, Long Beach. After obtaining his M.S. he would like to work for tech companies designing and running tests on products specifically related to UI design and usability testing. Above all, he would like to attain a position doing this at a software company post-graduate school.

In his free time, Shane enjoys taking long drives with his friends, exercise, and playing video games.

Valerie Vessels

Valerie received her B.S. in Psychobiology and B.A. in Gender Studies from UCLA. She is also a recent graduate of the Master of Arts, Option in Psychological Research (MAPR) program at CSULB.  Her research interests include aggression, gender/sexual violence, and prevention interventions to these issues.

During her free time she enjoys spending time with her cats, watching movies, and exploring the city.

Yeng Vue

Claire Wigginton

Claire received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Southern California in 2020. She graduated from the Master of Arts, Option in Psychological Research (MAPR) program at CSULB in 2023. Her research interests include the intersection of psychology and law, aggression, intergroup relations, political psychology, at-risk youth populations, as well as protective factors and interventions for youth facing identity-based victimization.

During her free time, she enjoys reading, going to the beach, and listening to music.