People
Meet our BORG lab team-- the director, current members, alumni, and affiliates.
Director, Dr. Adi Wiezel
Adi Wiezel, Ph.D. is a social (and political) psychologist whose research emphasizes the structure of political attitudes as well as the emotional, motivational, social mechanisms of attitude change and intergroup relations. She also has strong interests in leadership preferences and has studied the influence of emotion on motivation and engagement in educational settings.
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She earned her PhD in social psychology, as well as a master's degree in political science, at Arizona State University, and has also organized a number of workshops centered around depolarization. In her free time, Dr. Wiezel “plays chaotic good”—connecting community by organizing events such as bar trivia nights for strangers, or hosting noir movie nights. She also regularly maintains at least one dilettantish artistic and athletic hobby; currently, ukulele-playing and running (slowly).
Undergraduate Researchers
Lindsay Bialecki
Fall 2024 - Present
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Lindsay Bialecki is a senior at Elon, majoring in Psychology and Political Science. She is passionate about understanding how people have meaningful conversations surrounding political issues and hopes to take this work with her, to make politics a more empathetic space for all. After graduation in Spring 2025, Lindsay is considering applying to law schools. In her free time, Lindsay enjoys working with Elon Votes on campus, reading biographies and trying new coffees.
Lila Seiler
Fall 2024 - Present
Lila Seiler is a junior at Elon, majoring in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology. She is passionate about understanding the intricate relationship between clinicians and patients, fueling her ambition to attend graduate school to obtain her Doctorate in Physical Therapy as part of Elon's Accelerated Pathways program. In her free time, Lila finds fulfillment as an engaged member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and has a love for various sports such as lacrosse and volleyball.
Sophie Verrecchia
Fall 2024 - Present
Sophie Verrecchia is a senior at Elon, majoring in Psychology with minors in Dance and Neuroscience. She is a member of the Psi Chi honor society and works as a tour guide, as well as in the Writing Center. She is passionate about exploring political polarization and behavioral cues to authenticity. After graduation in Spring 2025, Sophie plans to attend graduate school in social psychology. In her free time, Sophie enjoys reading, going for walks, and spending time with friends.
Abram Darby
Spring 2025
Abram Darby is a junior at Elon, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, and planning to graduate in Spring 2025. He is a member of Smooth Progressions Acapella, Students for Peace and Justice, and works as an Operations Assistant in Belk Library Media Services. He is passionate about social justice and studying the psychology behind voting behavior. Following graduation, he hopes to pursue a postgraduate degree related to social psychology. Outside academics, Abram enjoys paddle-boarding, playing guitar, and watching Studio Ghibli films.
Faculty Affiliates & Collaborators
Dr. John Wagner
University of New Mexico
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Dr. John K. Wagner, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of New Mexico's Department of Political Science, investigates how information flows on social media shape political attitudes and behaviors. Dr. Wagner also spearheads initiatives aimed at enhancing student and faculty success while promoting greater inclusion within higher education institutions. Alongside these scholarly pursuits, he enjoys a passion for tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and an array of engaging computer games.
Dr. Michelle "Lani" Shiota
Arizona State Unviersity
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Dr. Michelle "Lani" Shiota is a Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University. Her basic science and lab investigates positive emotions, emotion regulation, emotion in close relationships, and emotional mechanisms of health behavior and behavior change. She also conducts applied research related to addiction, including the development and evaluation of trainings for community members in opioid overdose reversal, as well as an intervention to reduce substance use disorder stigma. She received her B.A. in Communication from Stanford University, and her Ph.D. in Social/Personality Psychology from UC Berkeley. She also enjoys an active life as a jazz, contemporary, and hip-hop dancer.