I’m Ivy, a PhD candidate in social psychology at Cornell University, working in Dr. Laura Niemi’s Applied Moral Psychology Lab.
My research examines how people form social and moral inferences about nonhumans — from animals to organizations — and how these inferences shape ethical consumption.
I have a particular interest in animal ethics and sustainability in food systems.
Across projects, I ask two overarching questions:
How do moral evaluations of industrial food systems and production influence consumer beliefs, behavior, and policy preferences?
e.g., reducing meat consumption, promoting plant-based alternatives
How do intuitive judgments about the moral standing of farmed animals constrain humans’ natural capacity for empathy and reduce pressure for structural change? (And are there psychological leverage points that can help overcome these challenges to empathy?)