Have you ever wondered what it is like to work as a research assistant (RA) in a psychology lab at UBC? Our new Q&A series highlights the experiences, contributions, and perspectives of UBC Psychology student researchers.
By Madeline Renner
Salina Edwards’ desire to learn about the complexities of human cognition and behaviour led her to become a research assistant in the Brain, Attention, and Reality (BAR) Lab. In our RA Q&A series, Salina shares her motivation for working in the BAR Lab, her experiences, and advice for other students who are interested in getting involved in research at UBC Psychology labs.
Salina has been involved in several areas at the BAR Lab, including conducting pilot studies, assisting in data collection, creating study stimuli, analyzing data, and writing manuscripts. She has also completed a directed study with the BAR Lab, and has attended academic conferences to present her research. The BAR Lab, led by Dr. Alan Kingstone, broadly studies human cognition and behaviour with the overarching goal of connecting attention research with real people and the world we live in. The BAR Lab examines humans as social animals living in a stimulus-rich, and technological world as they explore human behaviour, social attention, and the brain.
Salina is currently completing her fourth year of her BA, with a major in Psychology and a minor in English Literature. Outside of her work and studies, you can find Salina at a local coffee shop, where she’ll likely order a black coffee and a donut (with sprinkles). In her spare time, she enjoys playing chess, reading poetry, or spending time outdoors on warmer days working on urban sketching or creative writing.
What motivated you to apply to work as an RA at the BAR Lab in particular?
My motivation stems from having a strong desire to learn about the complexities of human cognition and an intrinsic passion for discovery. I am extremely inquisitive about human behaviour, and am passionate about writing and the process of knowledge translation. Working as a research assistant in cognitive psychology allows me to fulfill these passions in a unique way, through scientific study and discussing findings and ideas with other researchers in psychology.
What intrigues you about research at the BAR Lab?
Some of the research in the BAR lab seeks to understand the effects of digital technologies on human cognition, which I find to be a very intriguing area of research. I am interested in the way humans perceive and interact with technology, especially as we live through a period of advanced technological innovation. In particular, I am fascinated by how different technological mediums change our perception and experience of a single thing. For example, how does our perception of people change when viewing pictures of people on a digital screen compared to a physical, printed photograph? Do cognitive biases change the way we perceive people on television compared to on a smartphone? How does our experience change when reading a digital codex versus physical? As you can see, there is much to be intrigued by!
Do you have advice for other students who want to get involved in research?
My advice for other students is to be brave and be passionate. Once you identify your interests, seek to find professors who share those interests in a similar domain and start a conversation. This can be done by simply sending a cold email or visiting their office hours to chat. As you build those connections, the doors will start to open for you! You will likely experience much failure, but I advise you do not let it deter you — getting into a research lab at UBC is incredibly challenging, but with passion and persistence you will find your way.
What is your favourite part of working as an RA?
I have many favourite things about about working as an RA! I love the challenge of reading papers in an area that interests me and trying to identify where I can fill in the research gaps. I also greatly enjoy the process of data collection and interacting with all the interested participants that allow us to do our research. But perhaps most of all, I love presenting at conferences and having conversations with others about my research and my research findings.
How do you see the field of cognitive science psychology research changing in the next few months or years?
Due to the rapid and dynamic changing nature of technology, it’s difficult to predict what this field might look like in a few years, but I expect to see much more research in cognitive psychology exploring artificial intelligence (AI). Particularly how humans interact with and anthropomorphize AI, and its perceived role of an authority figure (or lack thereof).
