Riven Robinson
McNair Scholar 2025
- Major(s): Psychology, Mathematics Minor
- Classification: Senior
- Anticipated Graduation Date: Spring 2026
- Career Aspirations: After graduating with my bachelor's degree this spring, I'm hoping to enroll in a research-focused Ph.D. program. I hope to do a great deal of research focused on the "darker" traits of people and how to foster a larger sense of altruism through those traits. Once I obtain my Ph.D., I plan to become a researcher and inspire others in the field to pursue research.
“For me, the most valuable part was simply doing research and going through the process of conducting an independent project. While chaotic at times, it was amazing to prepare me for graduate school. As for my favorite part, I would have to say the entire experience. My cohort is amazing, and the lectures were informative, which helped me gain crucial skills for my future. Overall, I am immensely grateful I was able to be a part of such a great experience."
“I Want to Be Like Them”: How Attractiveness can Influence Self-Diagnosis Through Social Media
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Alicia Macchione
Research has shown that attractive individuals are often seen as more competent, sociable, successful, and generally more positive overall. This effect becomes especially noticeable on social media, where influencers—who are typically rated as more attractive—often shape what their followers view as acceptable or desirable. Social media has seen a shift in the kind of content people are posting, especially around mental health. More individuals are choosing to self-disclose their experiences, which can create a sense of community and offer a safe space to talk about personal. While this can be positive, it also seems to be connected to a growing trend of self-diagnosis. The goal of this research is to explore potential causes behind the rising rates of self-diagnosis and to examine the consequences associated with this growing trend. While self-diagnosis can have benefits—such as providing individuals with a sense of understanding and prompting them to seek support—it is increasingly being used as a substitute for professional mental health care. The hope is that this research will raise awareness about the issue and encourage future studies aimed at identifying effective strategies to reduce reliance on self-diagnosis. Results found that neither race nor attractiveness had an influence on participants probability to self-diagnose; however, attractiveness was found to significantly affect the positive perceptions participants had of the mock-influencers.