They scurry around the department to classes, labs, and seminars. We see them present and read their reaction papers. Let’s take some time to learn about the people behind the PowerPoints. Graduate students are essential to the research enterprise and valued members of any department with a graduate program. The goal of the “meet the graduate students” series is to learn more about the experiences of these key players in the Department of Psychology at UNCG.
Let’s meet one of our (at the time of this article) second year students, Tyler Robinson. Tyler began at UNCG in the Fall 2024 semester. He works with Dr. Ethan Zell and is enrolled in the Social Psychology Ph.D. program. Tyler holds a BS in Psychology and an MS in General Experimental Psychology, both from Murray State University.
Path to and Experiences in Graduate School
What inspired you to begin graduate studies?
My grandfather is the reason why I enrolled in graduate school. He was a philosophy professor for many years and always encouraged me to faithfully explore my interests. My being here today is in large part thanks to him.
Can you describe your research area and interests?
Like my lab, my interests revolve around the self and social perception and meta-analysis. For better perspective, some of my current research focuses on the better- and worse-than-average effects, how domain-specific knowledge affects political differences in attitudes toward controversial topics, and the general association between emotional intelligence and flourishing.
What is something you’ve accomplished at UNCG of which you’re especially proud?
Over the summer, I received my first revise and resubmit from a journal while at UNCG, which is very exciting!
What advice would you give to students aspiring to attend graduate school?
Treat graduate school like a career, because it is one. Think of yourself as less of a student and more of a junior scientist. Also, become comfortable with failure. You will falter many times, not just in the early years, but later on as well. Papers get rejected, grants get denied, awards get scooped, and yet your career continues. To endure, you must adapt to this frenetic ecosystem.
Fun Facts!
Where are you from?
I’m from Murray, Kentucky, which is at the very Western edge of the state. Fun fact: Murray is a very small, quaint college town and has made several appearances on various “friendliest small towns in America” lists.
What do you like to do outside of school?
I really enjoy going to the Kaplan Center (UNCG’s gym). I also love watching TV and movies with my friends. Lately, I’ve been really excited about the new DC Studios projects, which so far include the new Superman movie, Creature Commandos, and Peacemaker, all of which are phenomenal pieces of media. If it isn’t obvious, I am a massive comic book fan.
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
When I was much younger, I refused to swim in the pool because I was afraid of sharks, especially great whites. Is this very silly? Yes. Did I have this fear because I had just binged Jaws and Shark Week? Yeah, probably. Am I still afraid to swim in pools? Sometimes, yes.
Could you share a favorite movie, book, or band that you would recommend to others?
Sure, why not all three? If you haven’t seen or read the following, I recommend you do so: RRR (movie on Netflix), Good Reasonable People (book by Keith Payne), and Her Words Kill (band with only one album on Spotify).
