Welcome to the JADE Lab!

The Judgments and Decisions Experimental (JADE) Lab focuses on the organizational, social, and psychological forces that regulate individual and group behavior under the direction of Professor Eileen Chou. We are comprised of undergraduate and graduate researchers, post-doctoral researchers, a lab manager, and collaborators from around the world.

Although our lab has moved to the university hospital, we do not conduct clinical research, and we only use non-invasive methods in our studies.

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Eileen Y. Chou, Ph.D.

Lab Director, Associate Dean, & Associate Professor

Dr. Eileen Chou's research focuses on the organizational, social, and psychological forces that shape individual and group behavior in organizational settings. She explores questions such as how the terms of contracts promote or inhibit cooperation among team members, whether and when hierarchy is an effective mechanism of social organization, how trust can be used as a strategic tactic, and whether or not it really is "lonely at the top."

Her work has appeared in academic journals such as Psychological Science, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, American Economics Journal, Experimental Economics, and Organizational Psychological Review (see Publications). Her research on prosocial behaviors has been selected to be featured in the Best Paper Proceedings by the Organizational Behavior division at the 2010 conference of the Academy of Management. Dr. Chou received her Ph.D. in Management and Organization from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and holds an M.S. in Social Science from Caltech.

You can find out more about Dr. Chou on her Batten page here!

Maura Austin, Ph.D.

Post-Doctoral Research Associate

Maura Austin is a postdoctoral researcher at the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. She studies person perception, motivation, social judgment and decision making, and moral character judgment. Recent projects have focused on the cognitive processes that underlie how people think about moral character growth and how people make decisions about whether a transgressor deserves a second chance. In other work, Maura has focused on the social dynamics of gossip, competitive relationships, and collective long term goal pursuit.

You can find out more about Dr. Austin on her Batten page here!

Natalie Baumeister

Lab Manager

Natalie works with JADE and SoBaD Labs in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy. She studied Psychology and Cognitive Science at UVA. Her research interests include social inequalities and cognitive heuristics. Outside of the lab, you can find Natalie practicing piano, running, and writing stories.

DMP candidates

The Distinguished Majors Program (DMP) is an advanced program for students interested in pursuing in-depth research on issues related to their majors. Students in the DMP write a senior thesis under close faculty supervision during their final year of undergraduate studies.

Research Assistants

(First name in alphabetical order)

Alex Wang

Alex is a third year in the College of Arts & Sciences, studying biochemistry. She joined JADE through the USOAR program. Outside of class, she is a member of the Charlottesville Symphony Orchestra and the Baroque Orchestra at UVA. She also enjoys some recreational swimming in her free time.

Alyssa Bui

Alyssa is a second-year pursuing a major in Economics and minor in Data Science. She is thrilled to join the JADE Lab this semester through USOAR. Beyond academics, she loves playing volleyball and is involved with the Vietnamese Student Association.

Antigone Stark

Antigone is a second-year undergraduate hoping to double major in psychology and statistics. She has yet to find a psychology topic she is not interested in, but she finds motivation and clinical psychology particularly fascinating. In her free time, Antigone enjoys playing piano, running long distances, and spending time with cats and dogs.

Ardavan Davoodi

Ardavan Davoodi is a third-year in the College of Arts and Sciences intending to major in Global Public Health with minors in Biology and Spanish. He's excited about getting hands-on psychological research experience, and connecting it with broader disciplines. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, exploring nature and working out, and getting involved with the Persian community on Grounds.

Clare Gayer

Clare Gayer is a second-year student planning on majoring in Cognitive Science with a concentration in Neuroscience and a minor in Public Policy and Leadership. She is excited to work with the JADE team while broadening her academic interests and exploring new fields of psychological research. In her free time, Clare enjoys going to concerts, hiking, and exploring Charlottesville restaurants.

Jessica Li

Jessica is a fourth-year in the College of Arts and Sciences studying Economics and Data Science. She is working for JADE through the USOAR program at UVA. Outside of her academics, Jessica serves in a Christian fellowship here on Grounds and also enjoys playing outdoor sports with her friends. You can also find Jessica singing on the way to classes, working out in the gym, or journaling at a coffee shop.

Leah Wilson

Leah is a first-year student hoping to study economics and psychology. She is excited to get hands-on experience in psychology research. In her free time, she enjoys baking, reading, working out, traveling, and going to coffee shops.

Lucia Fogler

Lucia Fogler is a second year undergraduate hoping to study Public Policy with minors in Chinese and Economics. Her research interests are surrounding how behaviors affect the decisions of policymakers including within foreign policy and lawmaking. In her free time she enjoys rock climbing, hiking, reading, traveling, and exploring new Charlottesville restaurants and coffee shops! She is excited to start this semester at the JADE Lab and dive into research.

Nathan Welz

Nate is a fourth-year student majoring in Public Policy & Leadership. Nate enjoys the collaborative, fun, and interesting work at JADE Lab. A native Virginian, he enjoys hiking in the Shenandoahs and kayaking in his free time.

Quinn Moynihan

Quinn is a third-year majoring in Psychology and hoping to minor in Public Policy and Leadership. She is excited to be getting involved in psychological research and working with a great team at JADE Lab. Outside JADE, she can be found hiking, cheering on UVA athletics, and exploring local coffee shops.

Rosalia Bailey

Rosalia is a third year in the College of Arts & Sciences, planning to major in Psychology with a possible minor in Media Studies or Italian. She joined JADE through the USOAR program and is excited to get hands on research experience. Rosalia enjoys spending time with the people (and cats) that she loves, traveling, dancing, and watching (and critiquing) horror movies.

Sanjula Chitty

Sanjula is a third year Cognitive Science major and Computer Science minor. She is interested in studying how attitudes shape behavior, inter-group dynamics and the cognitive processes behind decision making. In her free time, she enjoys found reading, journaling, spending time with friends and family, and occasionally playing guitar.

Sara Chan

Hi, my name is Sara Chan. I am a third-year majoring in Applied Statistics and a minor in Public Policy and Leadership and Computer Science. I am interested in organizational and behavioral psychology. In my free time, I love reading poets such as Ocean Vuong, listening to podcasts such as the Freakonomics podcast, and spending quality time with my family.