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Research Team

Research Team

Director: Elizabeth Seto, Associate Professor of Psychology

Welcome to the SETO Lab!

I’m Professor Elizabeth Seto, and I’m a social psychologist interested in studying a variety of topics historically found in existential philosophy. I received my B.A. in Psychology at Baylor University and my Ph.D. in Social and Personality Psychology at Texas A&M University. I joined the Psychology Department at Colby College in 2017. I am teaching Seminar and Collaborative Research in Experimental Social Psychology paired-courses (PS336 and PS337) and Senior Integrative Seminar (PS420) during the 2025-2026 academic school year.

My research team and I are currently pursuing two lines of research. Our first line of research examines the mechanisms and psychological consequences of belief in free will. Specifically, we are interested in how belief (or disbelief) in free will influences different components of our self-concept and our social behavior. Our second line of research focuses on understanding how people experience authenticity. In other words, under what circumstances do we find or feel closer to our true selves? I welcome the opportunity to discuss my work, and if you are interested in joining my research team, you can find me in Davis 302 or reach me at [email protected].



Student Research Assistants

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Ainsley Colt ’28

I am a sophomore from San Carlos, California, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Classical Civilizations. I am interested in pursuing Law, so Social Psychology stands out to me as a way to provide crucial insights into human behavior and social contexts. On campus, I am part of the CCAK program as well as a member of Colby Dancers and Colby Consulting Group. In my free time, I like to dance, listen to music, and spend time with friends.

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Jocelin Reyes ’28

I am a sophomore from Houston, Texas, majoring in Psychology and Sociology. I am interested in social psychology because of its relevance to the real world and our everyday life. On campus, I am part of SOBLU and the Colby Jazz Band. During my free time, I enjoy going to different coffee shops and playing tennis

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Hannah Shammas ’28

Hi! I’m Hannah, a sophomore from Westchester, New York. I’m majoring in psychology and statistics with a minor in computer science. I’ve always loved psychology, and I’m especially interested in social psychology because of how applicable it is to everyday life. In my free time, you can usually find me working at the bookstore, exploring new restaurants, hanging out with friends, or playing some kind of racket sport.

Lab Alumni

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Domenica Gomez ’25

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Yoselin Ramirez ’25

Zoey Ricco ‘24

John Silberman ’24

Emily Riley ’23

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Hailey Cerrato ’22

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Daniela Bencid-Santana ’21

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Megan Hartnett ’20

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Lauren Ruddy ’20

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Liam Wilson ’19

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Yipei Lo ’18