Wisdom and Identity lab
MEET OUR LAB
Lab Director
Michel Ferrari is interested in personal identity and how it develops in typical and atypical populations. This interest extends, in particular, to questions of personal wisdom, as an ideal aspiration of personal development. Dr. Ferrari is head of the Wisdom and Identity Lab, which explores personal wisdom in people of different ages (from children to the elderly) in different countries around the world. He led an international study of personal wisdom in Canada, the USA, Serbia, Ukraine, Iran, India, and China. His most recent project explores the relationship between wisdom and successful immigration to Canada among Iranian immigrants and Syrian Refugees.
In applied practice, Dr. Ferrari and his students are currently studying the experience of personal identity in clinical populations, specifically, individuals diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome or High Functioning Autism. With Aftab Khan, Andrew Goodwin and Harrison McNaughtan he has studied of how young adults with Asperger's Syndrome understand their own wisdom and identity.
Dr. Michel Ferrari
Graduate Students
Shamina Shaheen (she/her) PhD Candidate
Program and Year:
PhD candidate (3rd year) in the Developmental Psychology and Education program (DPE).
Previous Education:
I completed my MEd in Educational Psychology from Queen’s University. I received my BA degree in English Literature and MA in Applied Linguistics and ELT from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. As an adult ESL teacher, previously I had worked in Toronto and Bangladesh for more than a decade.
Research Interests:
My research focuses on ‘Educating for wisdom’. My PhD project involves Indigenous wisdom intervention to enhance Positive Youth Development (PYD).
Project Contributions:
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Scoping review of educating for wisdom
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Practical wisdom of Secondary school teachers in Language Arts class
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Indigenous wisdom intervention to enhance Positive Youth Development (PYD)
Fatemeh Alhosseini, PhD Candidate
Program and Year:
PhD in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 6th Year
Previous Education:
MA in DPE at OISE
BA in Clinical Psychology at the University of Alzahra
Research Interests:
Fatemeh is interested in exploring the socio-ecological roots of resilience among vulnerable populations. She is also interested in creative and participatory methodologies such as visual and art-based, narrative, and transformative methodology.
Project Contributions:
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Resilience Among Newcomer Students
Email:
Andrew Goodwin, PhD Student
Program and Year:
PhD in School and Clinical Child Psychology (SCCP)
Previous Education:
MA in SCCP at OISE
Hons. BSc in Psychology at UofT
Research Interests:
Andrew's current research interests focus on three main areas:
1) Investigating the underlying processes and critical contributory factors involved in wisdom and identity development in young adults with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder.
2) Investigating how values interact with wisdom and identity development to facilitate optimal outcomes for life, self, and others.
3) Utilizing person-centred methodologies to better understand the lives, experiences, perspectives, and developmental processes of individuals with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Email:
Juensung Kim, PhD Student
Program and Year:
PhD in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 5th Year
Previous Education:
MA in DPE at OISE
Hons BA in Cognitive Science and Philosophy at UofT
Research Interests:
Juensung's research focuses on investigating tools, practices, and experiences that facilitate intentional self-transformation, particularly the cultivation of wisdom and self-transcendence. Currently, he is conducting exploratory research on the influence of esoteric spiritual practices on wisdom, and completing his thesis on developing an empirical study of aspiration.
Project Contributions:
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Supporting Aspirations in University Students
- Awe, Wisdom, and Self-Deception Project
- COVID-19 Coping Study
- Self-Motivation to Virtue Project
Email:
ResearchGate:
Nicole A. Sardella, PhD Candidate
Program and Year:
PhD in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 5th Year
Previous Education:
MEd Developmental Psychology and Education at OISE/UofT
Hons. BA in Cognitive Science, Philosophy, Buddhism, Psychology, & Mental Health at UofT.
Research Interests:
Nicole studies wisdom cultivation through the creative arts. Her research focuses on leveraging a novel arts-based method for the exploration of creative coping and well-being.
Project Contributions:
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Scope and Frames of Wisdom Science
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The Influence of Wisdom, Age, and Faith on Different Versions of Utopia
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Wisdom - East/West
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Network Meta-Analysis of Third-Wave Interventions for the Treatment of PTSD
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A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Self-Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Mobile Intervention (Serene) for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: Promoting Adaptive Emotional Regulation and Wisdom
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Developing the Arts-Based Critical Episodes Method - An Evaluation of Emotional Resonance, Emotional Depth, and the Promotion of Well-Being during COVID-19
Email:
nicole.sardella@mail.utoronto.ca
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleasardella
ResearchGate:
Sadaf Pour Iliaei, PhD Student
Program and Year:
PhD in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 2nd Year
Previous Education:
MA in Developmental Psychology at Concordia University
MSc in Cognitive Psychology at the Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran
BA in English Translation at Allameh Tabataba'ee University, Tehran, Iran
Research Interests:
Sadaf is interested in studying wisdom from a cultural perspective. Currently, she is collaborating on a project investigating different ways of wise life management among Iranian immigrants and Syrian refugees.
Email:
Stephanie Morris, PhD Student
Program and Year:
PhD in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 4th Year
Previous Education:
MA in DPE at OISE
Hons. BA in Psychology from Trent University
Research Interests:
Stephanie's research interest focus on how interacting with different narratives influence the development of identity and our learning process.
Project Contributions:
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Self-Motivation to Virtue Project
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COVID-19 Coping Study
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Educating for Wisdom Project
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Essence of Wisdom Podcast
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Esoteric Communities Research Project
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Teacher Wisdom Study
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Projective Measure of Wisdom
Email:
Zhe Feng, PhD Student
Program and Year:
PhD in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 4th Year
Previous Education:
MEd Developmental Psychology and Education at OISE
BSc in Psychology (Mental Health Studies) at UTSC
Research Interests:
Zhe is interested in exploring the processes in meaning making with a cross-cultural perspective. She is currently studying the implicit conceptualizations of the wisdom in well-known historical figures. Zhe is also investigating the psychological and aesthetic characteristics of Chinese language and poetry.
Project Contributions:
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Scoping Review of Chinese Wisdom Exemplars
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Intergenerational Storytelling in China
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Ideal Types of the Wise Person
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COVID-19 Coping Study
Email:
Linkedin:
Asma Shamim, PhD Student
Program and Year:
Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 1st Year
Previous Education:
MA in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) at OISE/UofT
MEd in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) at OISE/UofT
Research Interests:
Asma is interested in understanding the significance of the concepts of wisdom and identity in the lives of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Email:
Jenny Jun, PhD Student
Program and Year:
Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 2nd Year
Previous Education:
MSc Physiology, Hon BSc Life Sciences
Research Interests:
Jenny is approaching the study of wisdom through the lens of Buddhist philosophy. Her research focuses on the metaphors underlying various theoretical frameworks used by different research traditions and implicit conceptions of wisdom across cultures.
Project Contributions:
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Cross-Cultural Wisdom
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Self-Motivation to Virtue Project
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Exploring Pathways from Growth to Wisdom
Email:
Kiana Habibagahi, MEd Student
Program and Year:
MEd in Developmental Psychology And Education (DPE), 2nd Year
Previous Education:
Hon BSc in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science at UofT
Research Interests:
Kiana is curious about the clinical potential of wisdom interventions, particularly in youth with suicidal ideation. She also hopes to learn more about mental health in the classroom and the affective side of wisdom.
Project Contributions:
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Scope and Frames of the Science of Wisdom
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Wisdom and Life Management in Muslim Immigrants and Refugees
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Educating for Wisdom
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Essence of Wisdom Podcast
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Gandhi's Conception of Wisdom
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Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory (PTCI) Project
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Rumi's Conception of Wisdom and its relation to ACT
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Neuroscience of Wisdom
Email:
Lorraine Fu, MEd Student
Program and Year:
MEd in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 2nd Year
Previous Education:
BA in Psychology & Education at Simon Fraser University
Research Interests:Lorraine is interested in studying education values that interact with wisdom and identity from a cross-cultural and cross-generation perspective. She is currently examining perceptions and attitudes toward higher education, how wisdom exemplars are practical influences on people's thoughts, and how these relate to social identity and applied psychology.
Project Contributions:
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The Perceptions of Education Attainment by Different Generations in Mainland China
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Scoping Review of Chinese Wisdom Exemplars
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Wisdom Intervention Project
Email:
LinkedIn:
Sissi Chen, MEd Student
Program and Year:
Developmental Psychology and Education M.Ed. program (1st year)
Previous Education:
Ph.D. in Philosophy of Mind (HUST), assistant professor at a Chinese university
Research Interests: Wisdom education, wisdom curriculum design (children, adolescents, undergraduates), wisdom teaching
Project Contributions:
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Scoping Review of Wisdom Research
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Bibliometric analysis of wisdom education using CiteSpace (1992-2022)
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Teaching for Wise Coping through the Class: How to Infuse Wise Thinking Skills in the Mental Health Education Curriculum for Undergraduates
Pouria Saffaran, MEd Student
Program and Year:
MEd in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 1st Year
Previous Education:
Hon BSc Psychology & Neuroscience at UofT
Research Interests:
Pouria is interested in investigating the impacts of PTSD and moral injury on individuals' fundamental beliefs about the world.
Project Contributions:
-
COVID-19 Coping Study
-
Wise Life Management Study
Email:
Alvina Lai, MA Student
Program and Year:
Incoming MA in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 1st Year
Previous Education:
Hon BSc Cognitive Science and Psychology double major at UofT
Research Interests:
Social media impact and parasocial relationships' influence on political behaviour, wisdom's role in deradicalization, intergroup conflict between marginalized groups
Project Contributions:
-
Awe
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Wisdom and Self-Deception Project,
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Supporting Aspirations in University Students
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Xiaohan (Ruby) Wang, MEd Student
Program and Year:
Med in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE), 1st Year
Previous Education:
Hon BSc in Communication, Culture, Information & Technology (CCIT) at UTM
Research Interests:
Ruby's research focuses on how new media and games influence identity and psychological development, as well as our cognition and wisdom interventions. Additionally, she hopes to learn more about the intersection of technology, psychology, and play in the classroom, as well as the developmental aspects of wisdom.
Project Contributions:
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Essence of Wisdom Podcast
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Wisdom Intervention Project
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Life Choices & Developing Wisdom Game Project
Email:
Lab Manager
Konstantinos Xanthios, PhD Student
Program and Year:
Phd. in Developmental Psychology and Education (1st Year)
Previous Education:
MEd in Developmental Psychology and Education at OISE/UofT; Hons. BSc in Psychology and English Literature
Research Interests:
Konstantinos studies progress in the science of wisdom. His research focuses on using qualitative methods of investigating theoretical change across wisdom research traditions.
Project Contributions:
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Scoping Review of Biographical Methods in Wisdom Studies
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Theoretical Transformation in the Science of Wisdom
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Moral Injury and Meaning in Life in Military Combat Veterans and First Responders
Email:
Research Assistants
Harley Glassman
Previous Education:
Hon BA Psychology in Neuroscience at York University
Research Interests:
Neuroscience of wisdom
Project Contributions:
Harley devised a scoping review for organizing the neuroscience literature on wisdom following the PRISMA-ScR protocol. Additionally, he helped coauthor on a novel fMRI study on the role of the 2nd-person perspective on wisdom. Lastly, Harley have worked in the Educating for Wisdom group on investigating Dr. Igor Grossmann's wise reasoning model in the classroom.
Email:
ResearchGate:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Harley-Glassman
Paniz Salehi
Previous Education:
HBSc’24 in Psychology,
Minoring in Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health, and English
Research Interests:
Stigmatized Identities, Gender Diversity, Minority Stress and Resilience, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Organizational Behaviour, and applications of the “Wise Mind”
Project Contributions:
Paniz (they/she) has been working on a research project on ADHD in UofT students and their Wellbeing, with Asma Shamim, collecting data and recruiting participants. As an aspiring Researcher and Psychologist, Paniz is excited about contributing to more projects and is open to new connections. Here’s how to reach out:
Email:
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/panizsalehi
Helen Chan, MI Student
Program and Year:
Master of Information (UX Design Concentration), 1st Year
Previous Education:
Hon BSc Psychology Specialist & Buddhism, Psychology, and Mental Health (BPMH) Minor at UofT
Research Interests:
Meaning making, self-compassion, and posttraumatic growth
Project Contributions:
Helen is currently leading qualitative coding teams (ego development, wise reasoning) for the Posttraumatic Growth and Wisdom Study and the Cognition and Adversity Study. She has also led the naive wisdom team for the Self-Motivation to Virtue Project and contributed to self-compassion coding for the Posttraumatic Growth and Wisdom Study. Additionally, she helped co-author on Using Self-Compassion to Grow in the Face of Trauma: The Role of Positive Reframing and Problem-Focused Coping Strategies.
Email:
helenwuisse.chan@mail.utoronto.ca
Linkedin:
Volunteer Research Assistants
Mohamed Al-Refae, MA Student
Program and Year:
MA in Clinical and Counselling Psychology (CCP), 1st Year
Previous Education:
MEd in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) at OISE UofT
Hon BSc in Psychology & Human Biology at UofT
Research Interests:
Mohamed is interested in exploring the role of coping, emotion regulation, and family functioning in shaping how racialized communities thrive in the face of adversity. He is particularly interested in developing trauma-informed and culturally responsive mobile interventions for the treatment of depressive and substance use disorders.
Project Contributions:
-
A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Self-Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Mobile Intervention (Serene) for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: Promoting Adaptive Emotional Regulation and Wisdom
-
Comparing the Efficacy of Third-Wave Psychotherapies and Interventions for PTSD in Adults: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
-
Using Self-Compassion to Grow in the Face of Trauma: The Role of Positive Reframing and Problem-Focused Coping Strategies
-
Personal Growth and Well-being in the Time of COVID: An Explanatory Mixed-Methods Analysis
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The Role of Self-Compassion and Presence of Meaning as Predictors of Posttraumatic Growth in Emerging Adults
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The Influence of Wisdom, Age, and Faith on Different Versions of Utopia
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The Wise Life Management Project
Email:
mohamed.al.refae@mail.utoronto.ca
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamedalrefae
ResearchGate:
Yunjia (Jessica) Jia, MEd Student
Program and Year:
MEd in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) at OISE UofT, 1st Year
Previous Education:
Hon BSc in Psychology (Mental Health Studies) at UTSC
Research Interests:
Yunjia was a research practicum student in Fall/Winter 2021-2022 and has completed her poster on biographical research on wisdom scholars. She also assisted with the scoping review of wisdom and research related to wisdom in Chinese. Currently, she is one of the main members of the project on scoping review of wisdom exemplars in China.
Project Contributions:
-
Scoping Review of Chinese Wisdom Exemplars
Email:
Xuan Ma
Previous Education:
MEd in Developmental Psychology and Education (DPE) at OISE UofT
Hon BA in Translation at Jilin International Studies University
Research Interests:
Xuan is curious about the relationship between growth after adversity and positive outcomes. She also focuses on how educators can enhance children's cognitive perceptions from a neuroscience perspective.
Project Contributions:
-
Posttraumatic Growth and Wisdom Study
Email:
Linkedin:
Adrian Gudino
Alvina Lai
Arjun Hari
Cam Kilgour
Claire Lung
Edith Krohmalnik
Isabel Bowman
Jenna Gu
Kathy Du
Luke Pham
Mishel Alexandrovsky
Phillip Rajewicz
Rakshita Kathuria
Reyam Ali
Seoyoung Min
Shuna Fu
Xinyan Xiong
Yasemin Arikcan
Zhala Taghi-Zada
Aldonna Stermecki
Amber Iqbal
Benjamin Chabot
Caroline Jee
Da Na Lee
Esha Patel
Jane Tsai
Jinglei Chen
Kevin Tang
Mashal Noor-Ellahi
Naomi Watson
Priya Gupta
Ramizah Rafik
Rose Talebi
Scott Walker
Sydney Caskenette
Vlad Glezin
Zahra Arabi-Ardakani
Alexandra Abramovich
Anindita Bhowmik
Bonnie Luo
Chevonne Li
Daniella Ysabel Aguilar
Holly Chen
Janet Li
Karam Aly
Klei Hoxha
Milan Lazic
Neve Ostry Young
Rebecca Antonacci
Rebecca Antonacci
Samar Baloch
Shreyashi Saha
Wilsy Choudhary
Yaima González Menéndez
Zahira Tasabehji
Lab Alumni
Harrison McNaughtan
Jessica Carmichael
Niti Sharma