FF-TIP LAB

Lab Director

Kanako Taku

Kanako Taku is a Professor of Psychology who is a leading scholar on post-traumatic growth (PTG).  As a clinical psychologist certified in Japan, she has conducted a series of cross-cultural research on the subject of how people change psychologically, cognitively, socially, and spiritually after traumatic events. Click here for her contact information, click here for resume (curriculum vitae), here for publications, and here for current research interests.

Graduate students

Taylor Elam

Taylor is a third-year Ph.D. student with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in writing and rhetoric that she obtained from Oakland University. She initially joined the lab as an undergrad due to her interest in emotions and individual differences related to trauma, PTG, and resilience. Her current research interests include understanding emotions, nonverbal communication, and person perception in clinical settings. Taylor can be reached at elam@oakland.edu

Marina Morris

Marina is a second-year PhD student with an Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Biology from the University of Toronto. She became interested in the FF-TIP lab due to Dr. Taku’s cross-cultural and Japanese psychological research. Marina’s current research interests include using advanced quantitative methods to study and understand cross-cultural differences in perceptions of cooperation, as well as Japanese syndromes such as hikikomori and new-type depression. She hopes to apply her research to develop community resources and interventions. Marina can be reached at marinamorris@oakland.edu

Paxton Hicks

Paxton Hicks, a former undergraduate student and research assistant of the FF-PTG lab, has now joined the lab as a graduate student. His concentration focuses on social personality psychology. As a second-year graduate student he will be continuing to observe tipping points in deceptive behaviors. He hopes to expand this topic into several domains such as looking social contexts and how this may influence these behaviors. His experience in the lab motivated these interests in tipping points and answering when someone commits to a change; especially when it comes to lying. Paxton passion lies in academia and with aspirations of obtaining his Ph. D. in the future. Paxton can be reached at phicks2@oakland.edu. You can also view more of Paxton’s work on his personal website https://paxtonhicks.wordpress.com

Katie Romzek

Katie is a graduate of the Honors College at Oakland University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in German Language. She is continuing her work in the FF-TIP Lab under Dr. Kanako Taku as a master’s student. Katie’s independent research focuses on understanding how judgments and stigma influence the way people respond to peers experiencing mental health problems, particularly depression and suicidality. She is also interested in the reciprocal interpersonal relationships between people experiencing suicidal ideation and those around them, including how each person’s responses may influence the other. After completing her master’s degree, Katie plans to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology to continue her research. She can be reached at katherineromzek@oakland.edu.

Meghan Martini

Meghan is a first-year Master’s student in Experimental Psychology at Oakland University, where she also earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. She joined the lab to gain research experience before pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology, with a specialization in Neuropsychology. She aspires to become a clinical neuropsychologist who also actively contributes to cognitive research. Her research interests include resilient aging, cognitive offloading, and cognitive decline. She is particularly interested in examining how consistent reliance on artificial intelligence influences cognitive offloading and its potential long-term consequences for cognitive functioning. Meghan can be reached at mmartini@oakland.edu.

Ana Samaniego-Ramos

Ana Samaniego Ramos is a senior majoring in Psychology and French at Oakland University. Ana joined the FF-TIP Lab to gain research experience and be able to apply the knowledge she’s gathered from her classes and other life experiences to the lab’s work. Her research interests focus on immigrant populations and how the process of cultural adjustment affects their identity, values, and perceptions, which she will explore in depth in her Honors College thesis. After completing her bachelor’s degree, Ana wants to pursue graduate studies in either mental health counseling or social work. She can be reached at asamaniegoramos@oakland.edu

Zoe Adams

Zoe Adams is a sophomore majoring in Psychology at Oakland University. She joined the FF-TIP Lab to gain research experience and expand her understanding of collecting data in psychology, building on the knowledge she has developed in her coursework to strengthen her research skills. Her research interests include sports psychology, particularly exploring collaboration and teamwork within sports. After completing her bachelor’s degree, Zoe plans to pursue graduate studies to become either a sports psychologist or a clinical psychologist. Zoe can be reached at zoeadams@oakland.edu