Alison Jane Martingano

Alison Jane Martingano is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Her research explores empathy as a malleable skill that can be strengthened through practice, examining how activities like virtual reality, reading, and social interactions impact empathy development. With over 20 peer-reviewed publications and more than 600 citations, she is an emerging scholar in social psychology.

Dr. Martingano earned her academic credentials through a rigorous educational path:

• Ph.D. in Cognitive, Social, and Developmental Psychology from the New School for Social Research (2020)
• M.Phil. and M.A. in Psychology from the New School for Social Research
• B.Sc. (Hons) from the University of York
• Postdoctoral training at the National Institutes for Health

Her research program investigates empathy as a 'muscle' that strengthens with regular exercise through perspective-taking activities. She examines how various life experiences—such as virtual reality exposure, reading, socializing, emigrating, and higher education—impact empathy development across different demographic groups. Dr. Martingano is particularly interested in the cognitive and emotional components of empathy, their relationship to rational thinking, and how empathy manifests across diverse populations. Her work bridges theoretical psychological concepts with practical applications for enhancing social understanding.

Analysis of Dr. Martingano's recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on virtual reality as a research tool for empathy studies, with significant attention to demographic differences in VR experiences, effectiveness of VR for empathy training, and racial disparities in cybersickness. She has conducted extensive research on empathy trends in youth populations, the relationship between social media use and empathy across different cultural contexts, and digital interventions to enhance empathy through smartphone applications. Her work consistently demonstrates methodological rigor while addressing socially relevant questions about human connection in the digital age.

• Winner of several early career research and teaching awards
• Featured on BBC Radio 4's The Digital Human
• Regular contributor to Psychology Today
• Host of the Psych & Stuff podcast

Dr. Martingano actively mentors undergraduate students through the Social Research Lab at UW-Green Bay, where she guides research on empathy development using both traditional and innovative methodologies. She has secured research funding to support her investigations into empathy training interventions and virtual reality applications. Her commitment to education extends beyond the classroom through her public science communication efforts and dedication to making psychological research accessible to broader audiences.

As head of the Social Research Lab, Dr. Martingano leads a team of undergraduate researchers conducting cutting-edge studies on empathy development, frequently utilizing virtual reality technology. Her lab serves as a comprehensive training ground for students interested in social psychology research methods, providing hands-on experience with experimental design, data collection, and analysis. Dr. Martingano's lab work directly supports her broader research agenda while preparing the next generation of psychological researchers.