Carson Haller, 22

Author: Carson Haller | Major: Environmental, Soil & Water Science | Semester: Spring 2023

My name is Carson Haller. I study Environmental, Soil and Water Science and Psychology in Fulbright and Bumpers college. My thesis research is multidisciplinary and is conducted with the supervision of Scott Eidelman from the Psychology department. This grant documentation is to record what was done in the Spring 2023 semester and how it aligns with my plans of becoming a psychiatrist.

My research involves the inducement of empathy and a fake radio broadcast. I’m attempting to shift people’s attitudes about climate change because, if successful, this could have massive effects on public voting as well as consumer spending. If one was able to change someone’s mind about climate change simply by making them feel empathy toward one of its victims, they could potentially swing elections or put products on the map.

Here are some details about my research experience:

In choosing a mentor, which I believe is more important than the choice about topic, I did not have to deliberate much. I was already a member of my mentor’s lab, and had already joined it with doing my thesis there in mind. Choosing my topic was easy enough, as I was able to choose any of the topics that the lab (Social and Political Psychology) focuses on. I told my mentor how I wanted to do some sort of combination of my two majors, and he was immediately on board. He gave me some topics to narrow down, and once I had decided on empathy, he helped me to focus in on my thesis as it stands today: Harnessing Empathy to Shift Climate Attitudes.

I had always imagined that empathetic people had a slightly different world view on certain topics, given they would always be taking others’ feelings into account, but I hadn’t conceived of the notion of inducing empathy. In my studies I found out that, by using a simple technique, one can make people feel more empathetic toward individuals, groups of people, or even animals. Studies in the past have shown this to be an effective method of changing attitudes about issues like whaling or polar bear endangerment. I learned that it is completely ethical and can even make somebody happier to feel empathetic. I know that I feel empathetic sometimes, and it usually helps me connect with a person more deeply.

My faculty mentor has been extremely helpful to this point, and I do not expect that to change. He has more experience in the field of psychology, so I always defer to his judgement on things. What is most important to me is clear communication, and he never fails me. I have also gotten help from some of the graduate students in the lab with extra citations and general input. The SAPP lab is overall very friendly and helpful, and I am grateful to be a part of it.

In this next semester I plan to begin data collection through the university’s psychological research website. Once this process is completed, I will put the data into a section of my formal thesis. This will be reviewed sometime before graduation, and hopefully approved. Once I graduate, I will be applying to medical school in hopes of becoming a psychiatrist.