RECRUITMENT & TRAINING

High School Students

We do not take high school students.

Undergraduate Students

We welcome curious and dedicated undergraduate research assistants from Penn and other institutions. Students who participate in our programs work on collaborative and independent projects under the supervision of researchers in the lab. If you are interested in being a research assistant, please fill out this form.

Prospective PhD Students

Prospective students are encouraged to apply to work with Dr. Albarracin. Those applying through the Department of Psychology should check the department page to make sure she is considering taking a student for the upcoming year. Those applying through the Annenberg School for Communication should mention her name if they are interested in our work. All students might be quantitatively trained to be a good fit for the lab, and their interests should lie within the scope of the lab.

Research area:
Dr. Albarracin’s research is broad, including basic questions best explored through laboratory experiments as well as applications to health and science-relevant attitudes and behavior. Her preference is to work with students who both enjoy thinking about theoretical issues and want to make an impact on an important problem. She does not work with students who have primarily applied interests.

Adult populations:
Although Dr. Albarracin’s lab is broad, she works only with populations over 16 years of age. She does not work with younger children or conduct developmental research.

Availability to meet before applications are reviewed:
Many students would like to meet before applying. This is not feasible. However, Dr. Albarracin reads all applications that list her as the advisor and will call you or set up a time to meet virtually if your application rises to the top. She spends considerable time thinking about admissions and graduate training, and your application will receive the attention it deserves.

Mentor model:
Dr. Albarracin follows a mentor model, working very closely with students to guide them as they develop ideas and acquire advanced research skills. These skills include how to conduct and communicate research in a transparent and ethical manner, and how to publish one’s contributions to be successful upon completing a PhD. She meets with each PhD candidate regularly and works toward clear academic goals. She and her students also collaborate with other researchers and support each other as they answer questions important to the discipline and society.

Clinical trainees
Dr. Albarracin has PhDs in social and clinical psychology. She only works with clinical students if they want to work on fundamental questions about behavioral change, cognition and emotion, or interventions to change behavior.  She does not advise clinical students outside those areas.

Postdoctoral Researchers

We are always interested in outstanding postdoctoral candidates who can advance the lab’s mission while enhancing their academic record and preparing for a faculty position. If you are interested in a position, please fill out this form.