The Lab

Eric is a PhD student in the Social/Personality Psychology area under the supervision of Dr. Amy Muise. He completed his MA in Social/Personality Psychology at York University and BSc in Psychology/Biology at the University of Toronto – Mississauga. His research interests include understanding the processes people use when deciding who to initiate a relationship with, and how people can maintain these relationships over time. Eric is also interested in improving the way research is conducted by investigating the methodologies researchers use when conducting dyadic analyses and the psychometric properties of commonly used scales in relationship science. Aside from research, Eric enjoys bouldering, snowboarding, playing volleyball, and board game nights. To learn more about Eric's research, please visit www.erictu.ca

Kat is a PhD Candidate in the Social and Personality Psychology Program at York University under the supervision of Dr. Amy Muise. She holds a Masters of Science Degree in Couple & Family Therapy Program from the University of Guelph, an Honours BA Degree in Psychology from York University and a Certificate in Sexuality Studies from York University. She is an Associate Member of ASTO (Association of Sex Therapy in Ontario) and has completed the Sex Therapy Intensive Training at the University of Guelph.  She is interested in how romantic partners can optimize sexual and relationship satisfaction and her research has been published in the Journal of Sex Research and Current Opinion in Psychology. In 2025, she was awarded with the Sandra R. Leiblum Student Research Award from The Society for Sex Therapy and Research (SSTAR) and Best Student Manuscript Award from the International Academy or Sex Research (IASR). Her clinical and research insights have been featured in the textbook Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity (6th edition) and on Cityline, Global News, Toronto Star, and other international news and media outlets (Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Glamour). Kat is also the Founder & Clinical Director of Kat Kova Therapy. She enjoys yoga, traveling and singing (not well). For more information, please visit www.katkovatherapy.com.

Akshita is a PhD student in Social/Personality Psychology at York University, working with Dr. Amy Muise. She has been part of the lab in many roles over the years—as an undergraduate thesis student, lab manager, and now a graduate student.

Her research focuses on questions that many people wonder about in their own relationships: What helps couples keep the ‘spark’ alive past the “honeymoon phase”? What sets couples who have sex more often apart from those who don’t? How do people explain and work through sexual challenges? And what do the sex lives of people who are not in a relationship—that is, single people—look like?

Moving forward, Akshita plans to revisit many established theories and findings in relationship science with a cultural lens, as most current knowledge has been largely shaped by studies of White, Western populations.

Beyond research, Akshita loves spending time with friends, rewatching her favourite TV shows, thrift shopping, tending to her plant collection, and attending comedy shows

Alyssa is a master’s student at York University under the supervision of Dr. Amy Muise. Her research explores how couples navigate discussions around gender inequality and how these conversations shape relational dynamics, influence awareness of inequality, and impact overall relationship well-being. She is also interested in examining how gendered messages in media influence intimate relationships and contribute to broader patterns of inequality. Beyond research, Alyssa enjoys spending time with friends and family, taking pottery classes, and traveling.