Travis Research Institute
The Imperfect Culture
Office
Psychology Building 143
Fuller Theological Seminary
180 N Oakland Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101
MISSION
The Imperfect Culture (TIC) Lab focuses on three main areas of research – perfectionism, cross-cultural adjustment, and scale development. Culture intersects across these three topic areas. And our lab embraces the compassion to accept imperfection.
PROJECTS
Perfectionism
The Imperfect Culture lab’s research team and collaborators have worked on several studies on perfectionism. Projects include examining perfectionism across cultures (e.g., China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the United States, Russia, India, African American, and Latinx) and expanding the construct to family perfectionism, religious perfectionism, and perceived perfectionism from God. For more information on perfectionism measures, please visit Almost Perfect Scales.
Cross Cultural Adjustment
The lab has completed several longitudinal studies on the adjustment of Chinese international students. Dr. Wang’s team has also created measures to examine cross-cultural loss and international friendliness of college campuses. Currently, the team is studying third-culture kids (TCKs) and hopes to examine missionaries in the near future. For more information on the international friendly campus assessment project, please visit the InFA website.
Scale Development & Psychometrics
The lab has been involved in the development and psychometric evaluations of multiple psychological measures. Most notable are the Family Almost Perfect Scale (FAPS), Cross-Cultural Loss Scale (CCLS), International Friendly Campus Scale (IFCS), Religious Perfectionism Scale (RPS), Perceived Perfectionism from God Scale (PPGS), Religious Discrimination Scale (RDS), Attitudes Towards Religion Scale (ATRS), and Communion with God Scale (CGS).
Students
Allison Adams, PsyD, 2025
Miriam Kang, PhD, 2025
Melanie Ngan, PsyD, 2025
Grace Chang, PsyD, 2026
Eunice Chung, PsyD, 2026
Hengzhi Alex Liu, PhD, 2027
Mudi Li, PhD, 2028
Philip Taylor, PsyD, 2028
Janelle Ng, PsyD, 2029
Erika Garcia Luna, PhD, 2030
Whitney Tice, PhD, 2030
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1. Lin, C. Y., Tan, E. C., & Wang, K. T. (2023). Perfect Believer Concepts and Wellbeing Among Buddhists, Christians, and Muslims in China. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 26(9), 873-889. https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2023.2282075
2. Wang, K. T., Kang, M. S., Lee, H.-C., & Sipan, I. (2023). The Religious Perfectionism Scale: A cross-cultural psychometric evaluation among Christians in the United States. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 51(2), 251-262. https://doi.org/10.1177/00916471211011595
3. Knabb, J. J., Wang, K. T., Hall, M. E. L., & Vazquez, V. E. (2022). The Christian Worldview Scale: An emic measure for assessing a comprehensive view of life within the Christian tradition. Spirituality in Clinical Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/scp0000306
4. Jun, H., Wang, K. T., Suh, H. N., & Yeung, J. G. (2022). Family profiles of maladaptive perfectionists among Asian international students. The Counseling Psychologist, 50(5), 649–673. https://doi.org/10.1177/00110000221089643
5. Wang, K. T., Cowan, K., Eriksson, C. B., Januzik, M., & Conant, M. (2022). Religious Views of Suffering Profile Groups during COVID-19. Religions, 13(5), 453. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13050453
6. Tan, E. C, Wang, K. T., & Cottrell, A. C. (2021). A Systematic Review of Third Culture Kids Empirical Research. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 82, 81-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2021.03.002
Contact Us
phone: 626.584.5544
email: [email protected]
Staff
Nicole DeCamp
Research and Grant Administrator
[email protected]
Address
180 N Oakland Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101