Elçin Ray-Yol
Ph.D. (2023)
Birth-place: Hatay, Turkey.
Education: PhD student, Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph
Previous: M.A Social and Organizational Psychology at Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey, B.Sc (Honours) Psychology at Middle East Technical University, Turkey.
Research interest: As I have a strong wish to play an active role in the process of solving the problems of society, I am keen to conduct cross-cultural studies to facilitate the achievement and well-being of immigrants, refugees and ethnic minorities, that elicits the cooperation of all members of societies in any culture where a large number of ethnic minorities, refugees, and immigrants live. Moreover, in line with my hands-on work, personal and research experiences, I am also interested in strategies that promote positive inter-group relations.
I am inspired by the quote of my remarkable role model, Çiğdem Kağıtçıbaşı who was the first female President of the International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology.
“Some findings of social psychology may refer to general panhuman relationships, others to relationships that hold only within specific socio-cultural settings. Only systematic cross-cultural comparison can separate these or identify the limits within which particular generalizations hold” (Kagitcibasi, 1970, p. 444)
Ashna Jassi
Ph.D. (2022)
Birth Place/Raised: Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
Cultural Ethnicity: Indian
Education: PhD (2022), Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph
Previous: MSc. Social and Cultural Psychology at the London School of Economics, BSc. (Honours) Psychology at the University of British Columbia
Research Interests: Gender Equality across Cultures, Immigration, Cultural Identity
Sample Publications:
Rowntree, G., Ayatero, S., Diem-O’Connell, M., Hoffman, M., Jassi, A., Narusvicius, V., & Tspektos, D. “Examining the impact of a journaling intervention on resilience of emergency medical responders: A feasibility study.” Journal of European Psychology Students, 6(2), 79-84.
Melisa Choubak
Ph.D. (2020)
Birth Place/Raised: Born in Iran, raised in Europe.
Education: PhD (2020), Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph
Previous: MA (2014), Applied Social Psychology, U of Guelph; B.Sc.Hons Psych. York U; B.Ed. York U
Research Interests: My interests within cross-cultural psychology are manifold. I am interested in research pertaining to prejudice against minority groups and the perception of prejudice, and social inequality, especially for individuals who associate with more than one minority identity (intersectionality). Some of my interest lies in the intersection of ethnicity and gender (identity).
Omorowa Eguakun
M.A. (2020)
Birth Place/Raised: Fredericton New Brunswick, Canada
Cultural Ethnicity: Ghanaian
Education: M.A. (2020), Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph; B.Sc. Psychology Honours, University of Regina
Research Interests: Cultural perceptions and attitudes towards mental health and medicine, positive psychology, immigration and labour, intersectionality, and social inequality
Kimberley Goh
M.A. (2020)
Birth Place/Raised: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Education: M.A. (2020), Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph
Previous: B.A. Psychology & Asian Studies (double major) and B.Ed. at the University of British Columbia
Research Interests: Broadly speaking, I am interested in examining how culture and one’s construal of culture influences social interactions. I hope to examine stereotypes of cultural identity, values of bicultural individuals, and immigrants/refugees who acculturate in pluralistic societies.
Stryker Shay Calvez
Ph.D. (2014)
Birth Place/Raised: Canadian Prairies
Cultural Ethnicity: Métis – French, Cree, Salteaux, Mohawk, Irish/Scottish
Education: Ph.D. (2014), Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph
Previous: M.A. Applied Social Psychology, University of Saskatchewan; B.A. Honours, Psychology, University of British Columbia.
Research Interests: I am interested in the application of social theory on sociocultural issues. To this effect, I completed research examining the effects of narcissism and culture on an individual’s ability to effectively self-present in an interview situation, explored how knowledge of cultural values and social axioms affects adaption to Canada for immigrants and international students, evaluated Aboriginal support services offered at the University of Guelph and Saskatchewan, completed discrimination assessment of vulnerable populations in the OPS, and worked with Six Nations Health Services to better understand community health. For my dissertation research, I employed alternative methods of conducting cross-cultural training courses with newcomers to Canada.
Sample Publications:
Safdar, S., Calvez, S. S., & Lewis, R. J. (2012). Multi-group Analysis of the MIDA Model: Acculturation of East Indian and Russian Immigrants to Canada. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 36, 200-212.
Paulhus, D. L., Westlake, B. G., Calvez, S. S., & Harms, P. D. (2014). Self-Presentation Styles in Job Interviews: The Role of Personality and Culture. The Journal of Applied Social Psychology.
Kim Chuong
Ph.D. (2015)
Birthplace: Vietnam
Ethnicity: Chinese
Education: Ph.D. (2015), Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph
Previous: M.A. Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph; B. Sc. Honours, Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Toronto
Research Interests: My research interests include social issues related to multiculturalism and immigration. Specifically, my research explores the mutual adjustment processes in both immigrants and the receiving society, including how immigration impacts the sociocultural adaptation of immigrants and the ideologies, policies and institutes of the receiving society. I also have research interests in health beliefs, attitudes and behaviours concerning health, health care and alternative therapies.
Sample Publications:
Chuong, K.H. & Safdar, S.(in press). (De)Constructing multiculturalism: A discourse analysis of immigration and refugee system in Canadian media. International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology, Congress Proceeding.
Safdar, S., Choung, K., & Lewis, J.R. (2013). A review of the MIDA model and other contemporary acculturation models (213-230). In E. Tartakovsky (Ed.), Immigration: policies, challenges and impact. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publisher.
Vanessa Hazell
M.A. (2014)
Birth Place/Raised: Toronto
Education: M.A. (2014), Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph.
Previous: B.A. Honours, Psychology & Sociology- Wilfrid Laurier University; M. A. Counselling Psychology, Yorkville University
Research Interests: I am generally interested in coping and resilience processes in ethnic minorities. Specifically, I am interested in the internal resources ethnic minorities use to cope with stress, which include such factors as self-efficacy, bicultural competence, and ethnic identity. I am also interested in mental health issues in ethnic minorities.
Sample Publications:
Hazell, V. F., & Clarke, J. N. (2008). Race and gender in the media: A content analysis of advertisements in two mainstream Black magazines. Journal of Black Studies, 39, 5-21.
Colin Scott
Ph.D. (2015)
Birth Place/Raised: St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada (link to actual Google Map of Location)
Cultural Ethnicity: Newfoundlander (Irish/British ancestry)
Education: MA (2015), Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph; MA Political Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland (expected completion, Fall, 2013).
Previous: BA Psychology, Political Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Research Interests: My research interests are in the field of Political Psychology. Broadly, I study citizen security and political behaviour in Latin America. Specifically, my research focuses on how perceptions of violence affect political attitudes, and the social identification of youth gang members and indigenous groups. Ultimately, I am interested in how these phenomena influence social and political development. I am also interested in organized crime in the Americas, particularly as it relates to refugeeism and stress. For my Master’s thesis, I investigated how perceptions of violence influence political attitudes in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.
Sample Publications:
Scott, C., Safdar, S., Desai Trilokekar, R., & El Masri, A. (2015). International Students as ‘Ideal Immigrants’ in Canada: A disconnect between policy makers’ assumptions and the lived experiences of international students. Comparative and International Education. Vol. 43(3), Article 5. Available at: http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cie-eci/vol43/iss3/5
Darcy R. Dupuis
M.A. (2008), Ph.D. (2012)
Education: MA (2008), Ph.D. (2012), Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph
Research Interests: Darcy is is interested in the unconscious activation of thoughts and behaviour. Darcy’s interests include developing an understanding of money’s unconscious effects on behaviour and the application of unconscious goals to environmentally responsible behaviour (learn more about Darcy’s research at darcydupuis.ca).
Sample publications:
Safdar, S., & Dupuis, D. (2011). Review of D. Matsumoto & F. van de Vijver ‘s “Cross-cultural research methods in psychology.” Journal of Canadian Psychology, 52(4), 325-326. Doi: 10.1037/a0025496
Dupuis, D. R. & Safdar, S. (2010). Terror management and acculturation: Do thoughts of death affect the acculturation attitudes of receiving society members? International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 34, 436-451.
Safdar, S., Rasmi, S., Dupuis, D. & Lewis, J.R. (2009). An investigation into the cross-cultural adaptation of immigrants to urban and rural Canada using the multidimensional individual difference acculturation (MIDA) model (22-41). In A. Chybicka, S. Safdar, & A. Kwiatkowska (Eds.). Culture and Gender: An Intimate Relations. Gdansk, Poland: Gdanskie Wydawnictwo Psychologiczne.
Safdar, S., Dupuis D. R., Lewis R., El-Geledi S, & Bourhis, R. Y. (2008). Social axioms and acculturation orientations of English Canadians toward British and Arab Muslim immigrants. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 32, 415-426.
Sarah Rasmi
M.A. (2008), Ph.D. (2012)
Education: MA (2008), Ph.D. (2012), Applied Social Psychology, University of Guelph
Research Interests: My research interests lie within the area of cross-cultural psychology, with an emphasis on the psychological and sociocultural adaptation of immigrant youth and families in their new cultural milieu. For my Master’s Thesis, I examined the adjustment of first-generation Arab Canadian and Arab youth in the Middle East under the supervision of Prof. Safdar. My results stressed the importance of examining Arab youth to further delineate cultural and acculturation influences, as well as challenging our current assumptions of Arab families.
My focus on Arab families stems not only from my personal experiences (having lived in the Middle East for 8 years), but also because of the rapid population growth of Arab Canadians (sevenfold the general population, the cultural divergence between Arab and Canadian culture, and the pervasiveness of group misunderstanding misrepresentation that has been exacerbated post 9/11.
Sample publications:
Rasmi, S., Safdar, S., Chuang, S. (2012). The relationship between perceived parental rejection and adjustment for Arab, Canadian, and Arab Canadian youth. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 43, 84-90. Doi: 10.1177/0022022111428172
Safdar, S., Rasmi, S., Dupuis, D. & Lewis, J.R. (2009). An investigation into the cross-cultural adaptation of immigrants to urban and rural Canada using the multidimensional individual difference acculturation (MIDA) model (22-41). In A. Chybicka, S. Safdar, & A. Kwiatkowska (Eds.). Culture and Gender: An Intimate Relations. Gdansk, Poland: Gdanskie Wydawnictwo Psychologiczne.
Rasmi, S., Safdar, S. & Lewis, J.R. (2009). A longitudinal examination of the MIDA Model with international students (42-57). In A. Chybicka, S. Safdar, & A. Kwiatkowska (Eds.). Culture and Gender an Intimate Relations. Gdansk, Poland: Gdanskie Wydawnictwo Psychologiczne.