Laboratory for Research of Individual Differences – LIRA

Laboratory for Research of Individual Differences – LIRA was founded in 2016 as a scientific unit of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade. LIRA gathers researchers, associates, and students studying individual differences in a range of psychological phenomena using cutting edge research techniques and tools. The research is grouped around several broad topics:

• Personality phenomena – re-conceptualization of the model of the basic personality structure, dark aspects of personality (amoral, violent, and criminal behavior), apophenic phenomena and their relationship with the basic trait of disintegration, thinking styles, developmental stability of personality traits.
• Individual differences in cognitive processes and cognitive functioning – examination of cognitive biases, cognitive dispositions, irrational beliefs, memory, executive and higher cognitive functions, and the possibility of their neuromodulation using noninvasive brain stimulation, etc.
• Socially relevant phenomena – irrational beliefs, i.e., belief in conspiracy theories, pseudoscientific beliefs, the tendency towards contradictory beliefs, uncritical trust in health science; questionable health behaviors; intergroup relations – identities in post-conflict societies, collective memory construction and history teaching; intragroup relations – intra-group criticism, etc.
• Clinical phenomena – mental health, trauma, effects of psychological interventions, etc.
• Development and application of new methods for assessing psychological phenomena through the creation of new psychological measuring tools, use of ambulatory assessment, physiological measures, methods of observational ambulatory assessment, etc.

LIRA conducts its activities in cooperation with a large number of international and domestic institutions and organizations, focusing on the exchange and dissemination of knowledge, as well as a cross-cultural examination of relevant phenomena. LIRA members participate in many international collaborations (e.g., Many Labs, Trust in Science and Science-Related Populism, OWNERS, CLIMR, UCOM). Only last year, LIRA researchers authored or coauthored more than fifty publication in top-tier academic journals; its members are editors in PLOS ONE, European Journal of Social Psychology, Journal of Social Issues, Studia Psychologica, Europe’s Journal of Psychology. They are members of the Governing council of International Society of Political Psychology; Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Committee of Society for Improvement of Psychological Science; LIRA member is currently an Ambasador of European Association for Social Psychology.

LIRA is oriented towards the education and improvement of the expertise of its members and associates through the organization of mentorship programs, numerous seminars, trainings, and workshops aimed at strengthening the research competencies of its members in cooperation with experts from the country and abroad. As LIRA brings together a large number of students, it serves as a place for demonstration and practical teaching within several courses in undergraduate, master, and doctoral studies of psychology.

Finally, LIRA is committed to the principles and practices of “Open Science” – a transparent, replicable, and publicly accessible process of data collection, analysis, and publishing. LIRA members founded the Repository of psychological measurement instruments (REPOPSI), created the database of photos of Roma faces (LiraFacesDatabase), and other openly available resources (e.g., databases, translated manuals).

LIRA members are dedicated to the promotion and popularization of science in general and psychological science in particular and are frequently invited guests on TV shows, podcasts and digital media. LIRA’s Facebook and Twitter profiles are very active with a number of followers.