Alysson Light

Alysson Light is an Associate Instructional Professor in the Department of Psychology and the College at the University of Chicago. She teaches courses in the College’s Mind sequence and specialized Psychology topics like Research Methods, Close Relationships, and Stereotyping and Prejudice. As Principal Investigator of the Undergraduate Social Psychology Lab, she mentors students in social/personality psychology research, focusing on self-concept clarity, intergroup relations, and goal pursuit challenges.

Educated at the University of Chicago (PhD 2013), she held roles at Duke University and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Her research examines how self-uncertainty impacts decision-making, goal adherence, and societal perceptions. She collaborates on topics including racial representation in STEM, healthcare stigma, and mindfulness in digital contexts.

Her recent work explores mechanisms linking self-concept to well-being, societal attributions during crises, and strategies to reduce disparities in STEM fields. Articles address topics from buprenorphine dispensing barriers to the cognitive effects of facial masks on racial bias perception.

Dr. Light’s lab emphasizes student-driven research in social psychology, with ongoing projects on narcissism, stereotype formation, and intergroup dynamics. Though no specific grants are highlighted, her work consistently addresses applied social issues with theoretical rigor.

Her lab fosters undergraduate research in diverse areas of social psychology, emphasizing collaborative methods over competitive paradigms to promote equity and inclusion in scientific inquiry.