Dr. Tomiko Yoneda (Tiko), PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, UC Davis
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See Dr. Yoneda’s faculty webpage here. Dr. Yoneda is passionate about researching factors that have the potential to make a positive difference in the lives of older adults. She strives to understand how personality processes – our characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving – contribute to health and optimal development in older adulthood, and how these associations vary across contexts, countries, and cultures. This involves investigation of the links between personality and cognitive aging, as well as the factors underlying these relationships (e.g., physiological dysregulation and health behaviors). Specifically, under which circumstances, for whom, and how do psychological factors influence physiological and cognitive processes, and vice versa. Dr. Yoneda is also interested in exploring how relationships and social connections impact the interplay between psychological and physiological processes.
Dr. Yoneda is deeply committed to recognizing, acknowledging, and celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and she strives to adhere to approaches that are sensitive to the unique backgrounds, lived experiences, and educational goals of diverse students.
When she isn’t researching/teaching, you’re sure to find Dr. Yoneda engaging in some kind of physical activity – she loves trail running, cycling, hiking, yoga, and especially playing basketball/soccer/fireball with her son. She also has a deep appreciation for big trees, basking in the enormity of the ocean, and wine tasting.
Awards
2023-2025 | Social Sciences and Humanities Banting Postdoc Fellowship (Declined)
2023-2025 | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Postdoc Fellowship (Declined)
2022 | Governor General’s Gold Medal for Outstanding Dissertation
2022 | Canadian Psychological Association: Academic Excellence
2018-2021 | Alzheimer’s Society Research Program PhD Fellowship
2018-2021 | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council PhD Fellowship
Plus 14 additional awards from the University of Victoria and the Institute of Lifelong Health and Aging.
Lab Members
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Ariana Guenther is a first-year PhD student in the Healthspan Lab who is interested in how differences in personality contribute to psychophysiological well-being and affect close relationships in middle to older adulthood. After transferring from community college, she received her B.A. in Psychology from UC Berkeley in 2021. In her free time, she can usually be found at a coffee shop or dispersed camping somewhere along the West Coast with her little family.
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Olivia Duchow is a recent UC Davis graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. In addition to being part of the Healthspan Lab, Olivia also completed an Independent Study under the supervision of Prof. Yoneda. Olivia is also the lab manager of Mosley Lab. Olivia is enthusiastically applying to graduate programs in gerontology and social/ personality psychology for the upcoming cycle. She hopes to one day become a professor in either psychology or gerontology. Olivia is interested in studying longitudinal health outcomes in older adulthood, such as incident dementia. She is also interested in health disparities, resilience, and optimal aging in older adulthood. In Olivia’s spare time she enjoys napping, dancing, and watching movies.
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Maleah Mallillin is a recent UC Davis graduate with a B.S. degree in Psychology and minor degrees in Human Development and Public Health Sciences. She is actively working on an independent research project under the supervision of Prof. Yoneda. Her research interests include assessing how early life stressors, such as adverse childhood experiences, shape development and long-term outcomes. She is currently taking some time to gain research and work experience before applying to graduate programs in occupational therapy for the Fall 2026 cycle. Outside of the lab, she enjoys grabbing a cup of coffee at coffee shops, attending concerts, and playing guitar.
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Hanjie Shao is a recent graduate with bachelor degrees in Psychology and Human Development at UC Davis. His academic goals are applying to a graduate program in psychology and becoming a developmental scientist. He is interested in studying how risk factors such as family conflict and childhood trauma influence human development from emerging adulthood through aging. He is also interested in exploring strategies for improving involved fathering and paternal caregiving in parenting. In his spare time, he loves reading myths (especially Hindu & Greek Mythology).
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Remi Suzuki is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology, and minoring in Japanese and human development. Within psychology, they are interested in learning more about mental illness prevention strategies, developmental risks for illness, and personality psychology. Currently, they are working with Professor Yoneda on an independent project! Outside the lab, Remi loves to play guitar, go on nature excursions, and find amazing coffee shops!
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Piper Stowe is a recent UC Davis graduate with a degree in Psychology (B.A.) and a minor in Communication. She is actively working on an independent research project under Prof. Yoneda. Piper is currently the lab manager for the UC Davis Social Cognition Lab and a research assistant for The Healthspan Lab. Her research interests include the relationship between personality and behavioral addiction, with a specific focus on human-technology connections. Piper’s academic goal is to earn a Ph.D. in Psychology, and she will be applying to graduate programs this fall. In her free time, Piper enjoys painting, video games, and day trips to the river.
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Hebi Wang is a second-year Statistics master’s student at UC Davis. She received her B.S. in Statistics in China in 2023. Hebi is broadly interested in how personality impacts physical and mental health, well-being, and intimate relationships. She is currently applying to graduate programs in personality psychology. In her free time, she loves singing, dancing, sketching, and making crafts.
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Christian Linch is a second year student at UC Davis majoring in Neurobiology (NPB). He is interested in researching about prison rehabilitation and reducing loneliness within the veteran community. He aspires to become a clinical psychologist. In his free time, Christian enjoys playing guitar, reading, creative writing, and working out.
Marika Takai is a second-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology and minoring in Japanese and public health. She is interested in researching attachment styles, loneliness, and personality development in aging adults. In her free time, she enjoys sketching, binging cheesy c-dramas, and thrifting.
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Eilene Vo is a second-year undergraduate student at UC Davis, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Human Development. They have a strong interest in personality psychology and are particularly interested in how trauma affects both physical and mental health. In their free time, Eilene enjoys ballet, reading in the arboretum, and rewatching their comfort shows.
Lab Alumni
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Pinyi Wang is currently a third-year Psychology major. She aspires to get into a graduate program in psychology, ideally focusing on social psychology research. She’s interested in how people process, store, and apply information about other people and social situations. Outside of school, she loves cruising on her bike, spending time with pets, and hanging around vintage markets.
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Melina Garcia is a third-year Cognitive Science and Psychology Double Major at UC Davis. Her research interests include observing and understanding the intersection of mental health and physical health, specifically within the Latinx community. Her academic goal is to pursue a career in Psychiatry by applying to a program for her Master’s in Physician Assistant studies. In her spare time, she enjoys journaling, going to the gym, and spending quality time with her friends!
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Ni’Jah Montgomery is a second-year undergraduate student at UC Davis double majoring in Psychology and African American studies, and she created The Healthspan Lab website! Her academic goal is to pursue a career in Counseling, possibly with an African American special emphasis. Ni’Jah’s research interests include Social and Personality Development, more specifically Learning and Social Cognitive theories, and how those methods can be implemented to serve young children’s cognitive behavioral trauma therapy, especially in historically marginalized groups. She is also interested in learning more about cross-cultural psychology studies. In her free time, Ni’Jah loves going to the gym, reading books, collecting vinyls, and taking pictures of nature while walking outside.
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Katelin Olympius is a senior at UC Davis who majors in Psychology and minors in Sociology. She works as a research assistant for Dr. Camelia Hostinar and Dr. Tomiko Yoneda. Katelin is interested in trauma, more specifically finding ways to negate detrimental affects of trauma in childhood and exploring the affects of adverse childhood experiences as well as generational trauma and multi-cultural psychology. Katelin is devoted to serving underserved populations and aims to make mental health care more accessible. In her free time, Katelin is the co-founder of The G.O.A.T Yoga, a wellness company that aims to bring mindfulness and playfulness to the forefront, she also works as a Board Certified Autism Technician. Katelin enjoys practicing yoga, doing Pilates, spending time with family, and learning new recipes.
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Stella Chung is a 3rd-year undergraduate student at the Healthspan Lab, she is currently pursuing her B.A. in Psychology and Design at UC Davis. Stella is interested in executive functioning, more specifically the effects of ADHD on how people focus, make decisions, and process information; she is also interested in the links between personality psychology and gerontology. After her undergraduate degree, she aims to continue her studies in psychology in graduate school. In her spare time, Stella likes to explore new restaurants in the Bay Area, go to concerts, practice yoga, and spend time with her family and friends.