Celeste Campos
I joined the department in Fall 2005 after receiving my bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. As an undergraduate, I developed an interest in social psychology. I was a research assistant on projects that examined social psychological processes in virtual environments, the role of affect in information processing, impression formation, and person memory. In May 2007, I received my master’s degree in sociology from The University of Iowa.
Here at Iowa, I continue to explore my interests in social psychology. I enjoy integrating theories and research from sociological social psychology and psychological social psychology. My main focus right now is on examining copresence, which is an actor’s sense that she and another actor are mutually aware of one another. For my master’s thesis, I looked at how copresence mediates the relationship between social cues and stress. I’m currently leading a project with other social psychologists (Professor Steve Hitlin and Shane Soboroff) that develops testable propositions about the precursors and outcomes of copresence by integrating literature from sociology, psychology, and communication studies. Another main focus of mine right now is analyzing leadership and active membership involvement in organizations comprised of diverse actors.
Outside of the department, I have been active in many ways. In Spring 2006, I started a discussion and support group for Latinas at the university’s Women’s Resource and Action Center (WRAC). I was elected the president of the Latina/o Graduate Student Association (LGSA) for the 2006-07 academic year. I have been LGSA’s web spinner since Spring 2006. When I’m not busy with research or community activities, I can be found with my partner Juan and our dog Nacho. The three of us enjoy grilling food on our deck, going to parks, and road trips to visit our families.