What shapes us?
In the Origins of Personality Lab (OPL) at Michigan State University, we study the complex transactional tangle of genetic and environmental effects that combine to form our personalities
Personality Genomics
One key to the personality puzzle is our DNA: the A, C, T, and Gs of our genome. In collaboration with the Revived Genomics of Personality Consortium, we explore how and why countless genetic variants we inherit at conception predict our personalities even decades later in life.
Lifespan Personality Development
Our personality traits change across the lifespan, in response to everyday experiences, major events, and the ways we make sense of it all. Another key to the personality puzzle is linking these many environmental factors to personality development, and combining them with genetic data to get a fuller developmental picture.
Openness to Experience
People differ in their creativity, imagination, and curiosity: some people are open to experience, and others are more conventional. We in the OPL want to understand the multifaceted, culture-bound, tough-to-measure contours of this personality trait.
Join the lab
Interested? We’re looking for MSU undergraduates to join the Origins of Personality Lab for the 2024-2025 Academic Year. (Application Deadline September 30). We’ll help you prepare for graduate school by getting involved in research and discussing the latest studies on personality’s origins
~Lab Members~
PI: Ted Schwaba
Ted (he/him) is an assistant professor at MSU, by way of Northwestern, UC Davis, and UT Austin. As the PI of the lab, his research interests are pretty much directly aligned with the lab’s. He’s particularly proud of a paper he wrote about David Bowie that nobody ever read, and he hosts a music podcast with his brother. You can find his CV and more about his research at the main tedmond.net page.
PhD student: Josephine Fealy
Jo (they/them) is a first-year PhD student from the Bay Area in California. They are interested in individual differences in personality and self-awareness, and understanding how leveraging self-knowledge can help individuals to thrive on their own terms. They believe science should be rigorous, accessible, and inclusive, and are committed to improving science education for everyday people. They like to spend time with their two corgis. Sometimes they paint! You can find their CV on their website.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Naomi Wilson
I am a second-year Psychology major with a minor in Cognitive Science. In terms of personality research, I am interested in how personality develops and the effects it has on behavior.
Marin Richards
I am a third-year student majoring in Psychology. I grew up in Northern Michigan, in a little town just north of Traverse City, where I enjoy hiking and going to the beach. After completing my bachelors degree, I plan to earn a masters in Clinical Psych or Therapy, and hopefully move back Up North.
Mariana Peralva
I’m currently a Junior at Michigan State University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Cognitive Sciences. I’m originally from Brazil, and my main interests include personality psychology, psychological disorders, mental health, and forensic psychology!
tedmond.net 