Social Perception and Cognition Lab
The Social Perception and Cognition Lab at the University of Milano-Bicocca investigates how people perceive, judge, and behave toward others. The lab’s first major focus is examining impression formation through the lens of social cognition. The majority of our current projects study the key role of morality in shaping person and group impressions. We also investigate how people use facial cues to form impressions of others as well as the processes through which we dynamically update such impressions. We also study how individuals perceive and evaluate one another across group boundaries (e.g., gender, race, and sexual orientation) and how stereotypes and prejudice affect social behavior.
We hold a weekly lab meeting on Thursday afternoons. |
Lab Members
Marco Brambilla
Lab Director Marco Brambilla is associate professor of social psychology and director of the Social Perception and Cognition Lab. He received his MSc in Psychology from the University of Milano-Bicocca and his PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Bologna. He studies social cognition, specifically how we think about other people and groups. |
Simona Sacchi
Affiliated Faculty Simona Sacchi is full professor of social psychology at the University of Milano-Bicocca. She received her MSc in Psychology from the University of Padova and her PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Pavia. Dr. Sacchi’s research focuses on impression formation and moral reasoning. |
Simone Mattavelli
Post-Doctoral Fellow Simone is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Milano-Biccocca. He received both his MSc and PhD from the same university and then obtained a post-doctoral position at Ghent University (Belgium). His interests span both implicit learning and social cognition. His current research centers on impression updating and face perception. |
Matteo Masi
PhD Student Matteo Masi is a PhD student in experimental and applied psychology at the University of Milano-Biccocca. He received his BSc in Psychology and his MSc in Applied Experimental Psychology from the University of Milano-Bicocca. Matteo investigates the role of facial and vocal cues in shaping social impressions. |
Visitors
Isabel Cuadrado
Isabel Cuadrado is associate professor of Social Psychology at the University of Almeria (Spain). Her research focuses on stereotyping and prejudice. In her research she investigates the role of moral stereotypes in promoting positive intergroup emotions. Isabel was a visiting professor in the lab from February to July 2020. |
Juana Chinchilla
Juana Chinchilla is a PhD student at the UNED in Madrid (Spain). Her main research interests center on intergroup relations and stereotyping. In her current research project, she aims to understand the role of identity fusion in promoting moral behavior and reducing prejudice and discrimination. Juana was a visiting PhD student in the lab in Fall 2018. |
Lucia Lopez Rodriguez
Lucia Lopez Rodriguez is associate professor of Social Psychology at the University of Almeria (Spain). Her research focuses on intergroup relations, social identity, and acculturation. In her research she investigates the role of morality in shaping acculturation preferences and prosocial tendencies. Lucia was a visiting PhD student in the lab in Spring 2013 |
Lab Alumni