Research

Who rises to the top?
Broadly, my research is focused on investigating who rises to status and influence within groups, why, and under which conditions. Specifically, I am interested in how people can harness prosocial actions to gain and maintain status and influence, and when those strategies are most most successful. My current research is centered around identifying how expressions of humility impact perceptions of status among peers and followers. The ultimate objectives of my research are to 1) better understand the challenges that people of diverse backgrounds face in rising to top positions, and 2) provide insight on cultivating ethical and responsible pathways to leadership.

Publications
Cheng, J.T., Dhaliwal, N.A. & Too, M.A. (in press). When Toughness Begets Respect: Dominant Individuals Gain Prestige and Leadership By Facilitating Intragroup Conflict Resolution. Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40750-022-00196-6
Too, M.A. & Simalchik, J. (2018). Pedagogical Challenges with Diversity and Special Education in Ontario. Prandium, 7(1). https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/prandium/article/view/32115

Experience and Skills

Research and Consulting:
2022- | Statistical Consultant | Supervisor: Dr. David Flora, ISR, York University
2021- | Participant Pool Coordinator | Supervisor: Dr. Kerry Kawakami, York University
2021- | Graduate Research Assistant | PI: Dr. Joey Cheng, York University
2021- | Graduate Research Assistant | PI: Dr. Raymond Mar, York University
2019-2021 | Graduate Research Assistant | PI: Dr. Esther Greenglass, York University
2019-2021 | Graduate Research Assistant | PI: Dr. Julie Conder, York University
2017-2018 | Undergraduate Research Assistant | PI: Dr. Brett Beston, University of Toronto

Teaching and Service:
2022- | SP Colloquium Student Orangizer | York University
2022- | Psychology Industry Speaker Series Student Orangizer | York University
2020-2022 | Teaching Assistant | Course: Critical Thinking in Psychology, York University
2020-2022 | Teaching Assistant | Course: Writing in Psychology, York University

Specialized Courses and Skills:
2022 | Qualitative Methods | Instructor: Dr. Karen Fergus, York University
2022 | Network Analysis in R | Data Camp
2022 | Best Practices in Quantitative Methods | Instructor: Dr. Christopher Green, York University
2021 | Psychometrics | Instructor: Dr. David Flora, York University
2021 | Structural Equation Modeling | Instructor: Dr. Rob Cribbie, York University
2021 | Advanced Linear Modeling | Instructor: Dr. Michael Friendly, ISR, York University
2020 | Data Visualization in R | Instructor: Dr. Philip Chalmers, ISR, York University