What Do We Study?
As the world becomes increasingly multicultural, many individuals grow up, move through, and navigate multiple cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Yet, we still know little about their day-to-day experiences and how their psychological processes differ from those of social groups that have traditionally been studied.
In the Culture and Language Lab, we study the intersection of culture, language, and social dynamics in a multicultural world, with the goal of contributing to building a society that embraces diversity and equity.
We use a wide range of methods, including self-report survey measures, experimental laboratory studies, naturalistic language recordings, and text and social media analyses.
Cultural Diversity
The Role of Culture in Social Contexts
Culture is an encompassing concept that profoundly shapes people’s everyday lives—from how they interpret the world to how they interact with others. In our lab, we are interested in how culture influences psychological processes. Building on traditional cross-cultural frameworks, we examine social cognition, bias, prejudice, and perceptions across cultures, with the goal of understanding both shared and culturally specific patterns in human behavior.
Relevant Publications:
Lin, M., & Ramírez-Esparza, N. (2025). #willsmith: Text Analyses of X Posts about the Oscar Slap. In A. Okvitawanli, W. Friedlmeier, & R. Bhangaokar (Eds.), Globalization in Context. Proceedings from the 27th Congress of the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology. https://doi.org/10.4087/FOQS5754
Lin, M., Ramírez-Esparza, N., & Pascual y Cabo, D. (2023). Latinx’s Attention to Social Context: A Comparison with European Americans and East Asians Living in the U.S. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies, 10(2), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/1446
Language & Accent
The Influences of Accent in Social Dynamics
Spoken accent is a subtle yet powerful social cue. People form first impressions, make judgments, and categorize others based on accents. However, little is known about how this important social signal shapes people’s everyday experiences. In our lab, we study how accents influence communication dynamics, interpersonal relationships, and social interactions. Specifically, we study how accents’ social meanings shift in a diverse world where people are exposed to various accents.
Relevant Publications:
Lin, M., Chen, J. M., & Ramírez-Esparza, N. (2025). Advancing Insights Into Fostering Accent Diversity in Multicultural Societies. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 19(5), e70062. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.70062
Lin, M., Ramírez-Esparza, N., & Chen, J. M. (2024). Accent Attitudes: A Review through Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive Perspectives. Psychological Reports. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941241280250
Living in a Diverse World
The Intersectional Dynamics of Multicultural Experiences
As the world becomes increasingly diverse, it is often insufficient to use a single cultural lens to understand people’s experiences. Many individuals internalize multiple cultural values and navigate among their various identities. Building on multicultural identity integration and cultural frame switching frameworks, our lab examines how multicultural and intersectional experiences shape identity and how people navigate the social world. Specifically, our goal is to inform actionable strategies that help address disparities in multicultural and intersectional experiences.
Relevant Publications:
Lin, M., & Ramírez-Esparza, N. (2024). Checking Multiple Boxes: Themes Associated with Bicultural Identities. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 55(5). https://doi.org/10.1177/00220221241249999
Methodological and Sociocultural Expertise
LENA Digital Recorders, Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, Meaning Extraction Method
In addition to our three main lines of work, our lab contributes to a wide range of interdisciplinary projects examining topics such as sustainable development goals, psychological wellbeing, and political attitudes. Across these collaborations, we provide specialized methodological expertise in naturalistic language recording (LENA digital recorders) and text analytics (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count, Meaning Extraction Method). We also offer content expertise, applying a sociocultural lens and integrating linguistics and naturalistic methods into research. We welcome discussion and collaboration opportunities.
Relevant Publications:
Chen, H. S., Tam, K. L., Zhao, Y. L., Yuan, L., Wang, W., Lin, M., & Chiang, P. C. (2023). Development of Environmental Action Plans for Adaptation to Climate Change: A perspective of Air Quality Management. Aerosol and Air Quality Research. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.220377
He, X., Lin, M., Chen, T. L., Lue, B., Tseng, P. C., Cao, W. & Chiang, P. C. (2020). Implementation Plan for Low-Carbon Resilient City Towards Sustainable Development Goals: Challenges and Perspectives. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 20(3), 444-464. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2019.11.0568
