Sepase Kingsley Ivande
Research Interests
My research interests broadly encompass personality, positive, cross-cultural, and environmental psychology. I am primarily interested in understanding how immigrants and minorities, especially those prone to maladjustment due to acculturative stress (e.g., those higher in neuroticism), can not only cope with acculturative stressors but thrive in spite of them. In this regard, I have developed a keen interest in positive psychology, especially the stress-relieving effects of positive psychology concepts like self-compassion, mindfulness, gratitude, etc., both directly and indirectly on the well-being and adaptation of immigrants and minorities. I am also interested in the concept of nature-relatedness as it relates to intergroup relations and well-being. Findings from research indicate that being exposed to nature can facilitate cooperative behavior, which opens up other lines of inquiry for me: Can nature exposure facilitate intercultural cooperation and positive attitudes towards out-groups? If so, what are the latent mechanisms that may explain this relationship?
Representative Publications
Sautkina, E., Agissova, F., Ivanova, A., Ivande, K, Kabanova, V., & Patrakova, N. (2021). Political, Environmental and Social Determinants of Pro-Environmental Behaviour in Russia. Higher School of Economics Research Paper No. WP BRP, 130. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3995972
Representative Presentations
Ivande S.K. (2020). Perceived Discrimination and Mainstream Culture Participation: The Moderating Role of Neuroticism, Conditional on Extraversion. [Paper presentation]. International Research Conference - Acculturation and Intercultural Relations: Post-Soviet Experience 2020, Moscow, Russia. https://scr.hse.ru/en/announcements/405663183.html
Recent Awards
- Graduate Entrance Award, University of Victoria Graduate Award & University of Victoria Fellowship