Penelope Lockwood

Penelope (Poppy) Lockwood is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto (St. George Campus). Her research explores social comparison processes, including responses to positive and negative role models, and the psychological impact of social media and close relationships.

• Education: BA in English Literature and History (Western University), MA in English Literature (Queen’s University), PhD in Social Psychology (University of Waterloo, supervised by Ziva Kunda)

Research Focus:

• Role model influence on motivation
• Self-esteem and narcissism in social media contexts
• Interpersonal dynamics in romantic, parent-child, and sibling relationships

Lab: The Lockwood Lab conducts social cognition studies on these topics. Applications for graduate students joining in Fall 2025 are currently under review.