RESEARCH
The Role of Repetition in Everyday Performances
Self-repetition is a major part of everyday life.
We tell the same stories, crack the same jokes, and give the same research talks or lectures to different audiences. But how much do we know about how speakers and audiences experience repeated performances?
In this line of work, I aim to better understand both the upstream and downstream consequences of repetition in performance contexts:
How do people expect their own (and others') performances to change with repetition? Are these expectations accurate? What sorts of decisions are people making based on their lay theories of repetition, and can we help them make better decisions?
Judging & Signaling Preparation,
Talent, and Work Ethic
In professional environments, looking prepared can be a double-edged sword.
Employees walk a fine line between being perceived as under-prepared (lacking work ethic) or over-prepared (trying too hard or lacking naturalness) during presentations and meetings.
But how do we form these judgements about preparedness, and what inferences do we make from them?
What signals do people use to decide if someone is over-prepared, under-prepared, or just right for the occasion? Do these perceptions affect our views of how talented or hard-working someone is? And are people changing their preparation level based on these lay theories?
Perceived Authenticity
Why (and how) do some speakers come across as more authentic than others?
We often judge people based on how genuine we think they are. But true authenticity isn't something we have direct access to as observers - so how do we decide when someone is authentic?
In this research, I explore the role of various behaviors (such as social norm violations) in shaping perceptions of authenticity.
I'm also interested in when & why gaps appear between feeling authentic and looking authentic. Is communication impacted when people think they're communicating authentically, but they actually aren't? And how might things like gender, race, and culture affect our beliefs about authentic behavior?
