Quick introduction. I was born in Vietnam, and came to the United States for study when I was 15. I never anticipated staying in school this long, but thanks to all my mentors who have offered tremendous supports, I find myself asking more questions than I can ever find answers for. So here I am. 

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On this page, you will find all the information about my current projects and published works. My current research mainly focuses on observing people's experiences when spending time alone and understanding personality and contextual factors that predict the quality of their solitude.

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Many of the current projects I am working on are in collaboration with Dr. Netta Weinstein whose research focuses on adaptive self-regulation and well-being. We work together on a program of research supported by the ERC Starting Grant (PI: Netta Weinstein) to investigate resiliency in solitude. This program of research will use representative samples and experimental design to broaden understanding of causal effects of psychological processes and environmental factors affecting individuals' solitary experiences.

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Methodological approach

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I mostly use experimental and diary study design to investigate my research questions. My most often go-to paradigm is to have participants sit quietly by themselves for a brief period of time (15 minutes) and observe how they react to that experience. I am looking to explore other data collection methods besides self-reported measures. Specifically, I am exploring options to use eye tracking to understand attention in solitude and physiological measurements to look at changes in parasympathetic responses.

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If my research sparks interest in you, please email me. Chances are...

                                            you might be the collaborator I am looking for.

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Thank you for visiting my website. 

EDUCATION

2011-2018

Doctor of Philosophy

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER

2009-2011

Master Degree

CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERSITY

2006-2008

Bachelor's Degree

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE

CURRENT PROJECTS

AUTHENTIC SOLITUDE

Solitude is a space that we can be in touch with who we are, but that is not always easy. There are times when we don't feel ourselves in solitude. In this project, we ask the question of how an individual can create a space for authentic solitude.

SOLITUDE & SOCIAL MEDIA

Many people suspect that social media infringe upon our solitude. In this project, we examine whether that is the case, and look at how social media use during time spent alone affects people's experiences in solitude.

SILENCE

There are silent moments in romantic relationships. Sometimes silence can be pleasant but other times they can be uncomfortable. In this project, we explore what silence feels like between romantic partners and the role silence plays in relationship maintenance.

Collaborator

Nguyen, T. V. T., Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2018). Solitude as an approach to affective self-regulation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 44(1), 92-106. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167217733073
Click here to access reprint

Click here to read lay summary

Nguyen, T. V. T, Werner, K. M., & Soenens, B. (2019). Embracing me-time: Motivation for solitude during transition to college. Motivation and Emotion, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-019-09759-9
Click here to access preprint
Click hear to read lay summary

Nguyen, T. V. T., Weinstein, N., & Deci, E. L. (under review). The Motivation to Do Nothing When Alone: Autonomy as Driver of Emotions and Diversion Behaviors in Solitude.

Click here to access preprint

SELECTED PUBLICATION