Political Psychology Lab
About the Lab
The Political Psychology Lab at the University of Houston provides undergraduates with the guidance and resources to develop and pursue independent research agendas. Students learn to generate testable hypotheses, design rigorous research studies, complete human subjects training, field experiments, analyze data, and present research findings.
The lab emphasizes hands-on training in survey experiments, coding in R, and statistical analysis, equipping students with the methodological skills necessary to conduct independent research. Through this training, the lab aims to support the production of high-quality research suitable for publication in undergraduate academic journals.
Interested students should contact Amanda Austin to apply to join the lab. POLS 3381 and POLS 3312 or POLS 3316 is a prerequisite for participation.
Lab Leaders
Founder & Co-PI
Amanda Austin
Amanda Austin is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of Houston, specializing in political psychology and methodology. Her work has been published in AI & Society and The Journal of Law and Empirical Analysis. She currently lectures in data analysis and political psychology.
Faculty Advisor & Co-PI
Max Allamong
Max Allamong is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Houston. His research examines public opinion, polarization, and political discontent using survey experiments, AI, and text analysis.
Students
Ezrah Baker
Ezrah Baker is an undergraduate psychology major at the University of Houston, originally from Toronto, Canada. His research interests focus on how poverty and structural inequality shape low-income communities and how these patterns are reinforced through political psychology.
Ornella Minutella Garcia
Ornella Minutella Garcia is a junior majoring in political science at the University of Houston. She was awarded the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Scholarship for the Fall 2025 semester. Her research interests include intergroup contact theory, affective polarization, empathy and perspective-taking, heuristics, and ideology.
Molly Rodan
Molly Rodan is a junior at the University of Houston majoring in liberal studies. She is from Annapolis, Maryland and plans to attended law school after she graduates. Molly's research interests include public opinion of IVF and constitutional law.
Amman Dhanani
Amman Dhanani is a senior in the University of Houston’s Department of Political Science. He was awarded the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Scholarship for the Spring 2025 semester, and his ongoing research examines how voters navigate moral tradeoffs when evaluating presidential candidates’ domestic and foreign policy platforms. His primary research interests include moral psychology and political behavior in the context of ongoing foreign conflicts.