Kim Lab @ SPU

Current Projects

Cultural and psychological influence on attitudes toward seeking psychological help.

In this project, we are examining emotion socialization among Asian Americans in the family context and how it interacts with help-seeking attitudes and mental health stigma. Given the cultural complexities surrounding emotional expression in the Asian American context, we believe that this study will yield interesting, novel results. This project is currently in data analysis and manuscript write up phase.

Attitudes about LGBTQ persons among South Asian college students.

In this study, we aim to assess views of South Asian students’ attitudes towards LGBTQ individuals at a Christian university. It is important to understand the culture and religious specific influences on sexual identity beliefs to expand our understanding of intersectional identities. Through semi-structured interviews, we expect new insights for an unstudied area of research. This project is currently in conceptualization phase.

Views of Jesus’s race and implicit bias.

In this study, we aimed to examine how Asian American college students viewed Jesus’s race. We assessed both explicit and implicit bias regarding Jesus’s race, and found evidence for implicit bias (e.g., images of non-White Jesus perceived negatively). Additionally, there was a correlation between endorsement of racial colorblindness and implicit bias. This project is currently under review in a peer-reviewed journal.

Current Members

Wesley Joo

I am in my fourth year at SPU and currently majoring in psychology with a concentration of psychological sciences. I am passionate about mental health and its connection with physical, social, and spiritual well-being. In the future, I hope to be a therapist who can advocate for the importance of holistic wellness.

Rafi Pezo Acosta

I am a fourth year at SPU, majoring in Clinical and Counseling Psychology and minoring in 2D Media. I am interested in researching the mental and emotional influence of cultural traits and expectations. After graduation, I intend to pursue a graduate degree in order to become a licensed therapist and help those around me. Apart from this lab, I am a member of MEChA and love to crochet!

Kaley Rodda

I am in my third year at SPU, majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Clinical Counseling, Sociology and minoring in Women’s Studies and Reconciliation Studies. My specific interests include the psychological impact and draw to religion, as well as the impact of religious community on macro and individual scales. My plan after graduation is to pursue a career as a therapist, specializing in religious trauma.

Lance Sarquilla

I am in my fourth year at SPU, double majoring in Christian Theology and Psychology with a concentration in Psychological Science. I’m a First-Generation college student originally from Imus, Cavite Philippines. I’m deeply fascinated in the ways we interact with “story”. I like to believe it’s the primal way we interact with the world, ourselves, and one another. Looking towards the future, I hope to take steps professionally and creatively to compose a multimedia platform that is rooted in a question, “where do you find your freedom?”.

Esal Shakil

I am in my third year at SPU, majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Behavioral Neuroscience and minoring in Data Analytics. I enjoy learning the details of the brain, but I am particularly interested in researching how culture influences everyday psychological processes. I am also involved with the Honors program and Active Minds.