We-Search Lab

at Harvard University is directed by Dr. Ashwini Ashokkumar.

We are a social psychology lab conducting research on the psychology of "we." 

"We" is the simplest linguistic form that expresses a collective sense of self, and the name of our lab (We-Search Lab) reflects our interest in the psychology of identity, groups, and language. 

Our research explores questions such as:

• How do we express and signal our identities in language?

• What are the meanings and narratives around our sense of "we"?

• How do our identities shape political discourse, and how does political discourse, in turn, shape our beliefs?

• How do large-scale upheavals (e.g., wars) shape our identities?

• How are our identities linked to how we tackle social problems?

• How does identity politics shape democracy?

Beyond our theoretical interests, our lab's name, we-search (a play on me-search), also reflects a value orientation. Just as me-search highlights how research can serve a meaning-making function for individuals, we-search underscores our commitment to understanding the perspectives of the many social groups and collectives that make up today’s society. 

Finally, the lab’s name also underscores that as much as we are social scientists studying communities, we are also a community of social scientists. We value and care for our members and strive to help one another grow.