SPAT Lab - Social Psych and Technology Lab

The SPAT Lab broadly focuses on how social psychology and technology interact, both in positive and negative ways. The Lab is also interested in how relatively newer forms of technology (e.g., social media, smartphones, AI) influence the quantity and quality of interactions we have with each other. To support the research, the SPAT Lab utilizes spaces in which people interact, such as a research lab that features a one-way mirror, and online studies such as CloudResearch with Qualtrics. A main goal of the Lab is to have students involved in research that is interesting to them and relevant to their lives, while gaining a deeper understanding of the changes in technology that are having a major impact on our psychological well-being.

Ongoing projects include:

• Screen Distraction Study: Looks at the potential effects that the giant, wall-size TV screen in the atrium of the Dyson Center has on student attention, concentration, and memory. With so many students using the atrium to study and work, does the giant screen (that constantly flashes images and videos) negatively impact those who face it in contrast to those who don’t? 
• Death Calculator Perceptions Study: Abstract from most recent presentation: Artificial intelligence (AI) is constantly improving, and there is an increased acceptance of providing data about our lives and health (e.g., Fitbit). The current study presented the hypothetical situation of an AI system that could, with 100% accuracy, predict the exact day a person is going to die. Participants (N = 213) were then asked if they would access their "death date", what would happen to society if this info was available, and several other related questions. In addition, participants were randomly assigned to contemplate if they were told that their death date was either "soon" or "far off in the future", followed by measures of meaning and satisfaction in life. Although the manipulation did not influence responses, analyses revealed that younger participants, male participants, those who take care of others, and participants with a lower tolerance for uncertainty were more likely to want to know their death date. Additional results (e.g., religiosity, health status, societal impact of knowing), interpretations, and conclusions are discussed. 
• Windowed-Classrooms (study forthcoming): Do the classrooms with hallway glass walls negatively impact student attention, concentration, and memory (in comparison to the traditional, opaque walls)? Are these architectural decisions prioritizing aesthetic appeal at the expense of actual learning?