People

Dr. Jason Deska

Dr. Jason Deska is an associate professor and the director of the Social Perception & Intergroup Relations lab at Toronto Metropolitan University. He completed his Ph.D. at Miami University under the supervision of Kurt Hugenberg and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto with Nick Rule.

Lucas Baron is a third-year Psychological Science PhD student. He is broadly interested in social psychological research surrounding stereotypes, prejudice, and dehumanization. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, his current projects involve understanding how bisexual+ people (those who are attracted to multiple genders) navigate being viewed as inauthentic. He is also interested in how factors like gender and body size affect people’s perceptions of bisexual+ individuals. Through his research, he hopes to contribute to our understanding of how and why people form biased opinions of themselves and others based on perceived group membership.

Maggie Chekan is a first year Psychological Science MA student. She completed her BA in Psychology and Sociology at Western University. Her research interests include the complexities of social categorization and how this affects identity. Maggie’s research goal is to better understand how people’s implicit and explicit processes shape how we categorize others, and what this reveals about social norms and systemic oppression.

Kiana Greenly is a first-year Psychological Science PhD student. She is primarily interested in perceptions of multiracial individuals and how we mentally understand/categorize this frequently overlooked racial category. Kiana’s master’s thesis used reverse-correlation methodology to understand better how Asian and White people visually represent multiracial Asian-White individuals. Her current work aims to help us better comprehend sociocognitive perceptions of this group through methods such as mouse-tracking and EEG. Kiana’s research aims to contribute to the growing body of literature in this area and broaden our understanding of multiracial individuals.

Samreen Chahal is a fourth year undergraduate TMU student working towards her BA in Psychology and a minor in sociology. Her research interests include how social categories and individual features could play a role in facing discrimination and dehumanizing outcomes in real-world domains. She aims to use this research to better understand how such factors can influence outcomes and contribute to inequality within a legal context.

Jacquie Cook-Martin is a fourth-year TMU Psychology student minoring in Economics. Through her honours thesis she is testing whether curiosity can shift implicit racial bias in gaze-cueing, both within milliseconds and more permanently in the conscious choices people make. She’s interested in what drives that shift toward lasting change, with a growing interest in computational modelling.

Ghazal (Eden) Faridi Haftkhani is a third-year Psychology student at Toronto Metropolitan University, pursuing a double minor in Mathematics and Biology. Her research interests include the psychology of digital cultures and online communities, as well as the applications of neurofeedback in treating PTSD, depression, and sleep disorders.

Ethan Fox is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology, planning to seek a Masters and licensure in Psychological counseling. Ethan’s research interests revolve around the effects of communication styles on behaviour, particularly within social relations. Through his research, Ethan hopes to better understand how social dynamics affect communication, and the resultant effects on maladaptive behavior.

Diva Kaushik is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology, planning to get a double minor in Sociology and Philosophy.  She has a keen interest in researching the intersection of the three disciplines and their effects on the human condition. Additionally, Diva is interested in exploring the increasing incorporation of qualitative methods in psychological research and hopes to further her knowledge and skills in the field through graduate studies.

Porsha Najar Tabrizi is a fourth-year Psychology student completing her honours thesis. Her research interests centre on how social perception and bias, particularly how artificial intelligence and gender, shape perceptions of people and their work. Through her research, she hopes to better understand how emerging technologies interact with social biases and influence the way we evaluate others.

Hursh Patel is a 3rd-year psychology student minoring in HR. His research interests include the psychology behind what induces stigma against marginalized communities and the effects it produces.

Isabella Salgado-Perez is a third-year undergraduate Psychology student minoring in Sociology. Her research interests include the psychology of prejudice, specifically toward women and other marginalized groups. Her long-term goal is to contribute to research aimed at reducing stigma and inequality, with plans to pursue graduate studies in the field of psychology.

Rory Shaw is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Criminology and planning a minor in Psychology. He is interested in how mental health disorders and developmental disabilities shape learning, educational outcomes, and long term emotional well-being. Rory also volunteers as an inbound operator at the Distress Centre of Greater Toronto and hopes to further his knowledge and skills in psychology through graduate studies.