Sciara Simona

Sciara Simona is a Researcher (Ricercatore a Tempo Determinato, RTD-A) in Social Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology of Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and has been actively involved in academic research and teaching since 2015. She directs the Social Psychology Research Laboratory (UniSR-Social.Lab) and is a Lab Affiliate at NYU’s Motivation Lab under Professors Peter M. Gollwitzer and Gabriele Oettingen.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Social Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan (2017)
• Master’s in Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan (2013)
• Bachelor’s in Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan (2010)

Research Focus: Her work explores emotional and motivational processes in social contexts, including self-completion processes on social media (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook), the role of emotions in behavior prediction, and empathic responses. She employs experimental methods in lab and field settings, emphasizing innovative paradigms. Recent studies analyze online activism, political action, and how obstacles affect emotional intensity (e.g., romantic feelings).

Awards & Recognition:

• Scientific awards from SSM, Psychology of Technology Institute, and AIP
• Media coverage of research in national and international outlets

Grants & Labs:

• Led the Social Psychology Research Laboratory (UniSR-Social.Lab) since 2015
• Affiliate at NYU’s Motivation Lab since 2020