People
Jinhyung Kim, Ph.D.
Lab Director
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Associate Professor at Department of Psychology, Sogang University
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Co-PI at Institute for Hope Research, Sogang University
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Board of Directors Member at the International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology
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Ph.D. in Social and Personality Psychology, Texas A&M University
“What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger." Since my young self was fascinated by this Nietzsche’s quote, I have been interested in understanding how one’s own will guides the way we go through ups and downs in our life. This is reflected in my research. Broadly speaking, my research examines: the ways in which people discover their true self and make authentic decisions; the roles of motivational, contextual, and personality factors in the experience of existential meaning; how people find and maintain hope through the senses of agency, autonomy, and self-determination.
Da Ye Lee
Graduate Student
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M.A. in cultural, social, and personality psychology, Korea University
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B.A. in British & American language and literature, psychology, and communication, Sogang University
Da Ye is a Ph.D. candidate. Her main interest is self and authenticity. She aims to investigate the conditions under which people feel authentic. Specifically, she examines how motivational states (e.g., regulatory fit), moral emotion regulation, and regret enhance or undermine people’s sense of authenticity. She is also interested in the experiences of marginalized groups in the Korean context. Beyond the topics she investigates, she enjoys applying diverse methodologies, including experience samping method (ESM) and qualitative approches.
Yedo Jang
Graduate Student
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B.A. in Buddhist Studies, Dongguk University
Yedo is a graduate student. Her research interests include belief in free will, authenticity and well-being. She is particularly interested in research related to people's perceptions and subjective interpretations of these topics.
Minji Seok
Graduate Student
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B.A. in psychology, Sungshin Women's University
Minji is a second-year graduate student exploring the psychological foundations of authenticity and meaning in life. She is particularly interested in how these concepts shape human experiences and interactions in a social context. Through her research, she aims to deepen our understanding of what it means to live a truly meaningful and authentic life.
Da Yeon Choi
Graduate Student
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B.A. in Psychology and Business Administration, Sogang University
Da Yeon is a graduate student. She hopes to pursue research related to true self, presented self, and the psychology of discrimination.
Yoon Heechan
Graduate Research Assistant
Heechan earned his undergraduate degree in economics, business management, and psychology, and completed his master’s in organizational psychology. His academic journey led him to explore the narrative frameworks used by social entrepreneurs and ways to enhance employees’ mental health and well-being. These interests sparked deeper questions about what makes life meaningful and how that meaning varies from person to person. His recent interests include positive psychology, the dual framework of humanness, self-expression, the courage to create, and what it means to be authentic during an age of rapid AI development.
Lee Yuna
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Yuna is an undergraduate student who is deeply interested in how individuals' interactions with their environment differ based on their self-perception. She believes that the sense of hope, free will, and self-authenticity can vary according to one's innate disposition and cultural context. Maladaptation is also one of her significant academic interests, and she wants to explore its cause and solution in relation to one's self-construal and existential meaning.
Seojin Kim
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Seojin Kim is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology at Ewha Womans University. Her primary research interest lies in understanding how individuals develop an authentic self and live in accordance with it.
She is particularly interested in how narrative identity and possible selves contribute to the formation of the authentic self, and how self-determination processes enable individuals to act in ways that are consistent with their identity and ultimately promote well-being.
Her long-term goal is to understand the psychological conditions that allow people to maintain their sense of identity despite social expectations and norms, and to live in accordance with their own values and authentic selves.
Alumni
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Jisang Yune (M.A. graduate, 2025) - Currently doctoral student at The Pennsylvania State University
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Kyungmin Nam (M.A. graduate, 2025)
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Hyunjin Kim (M.A. graduate, 2024)