Sylvia Vitousek

Sylvia Morelli Vitousek is a Product Researcher at Instagram who joined the company in January 2019.12 Prior to her role at Instagram, she held an academic position as an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Director of the Empathy and Social Connection Lab from 2016 to 2018.2

Research Focus

At Instagram, Vitousek's work is centered on:

1. Understanding and promoting empathy and kindness in social media interactions
2. Conducting research that has a direct and immediate impact on the platform's users3

Career Transition

Vitousek made the transition from academia to industry, moving from a faculty position to her role at Instagram. This shift represents a significant change in her career path, moving from theoretical research to applied product research in a major tech company.1

Professional Interests

Her research interests appear to be aligned with social psychology, particularly in the areas of:

• Empathy
• Social connections
• Online interactions

These focus areas are particularly relevant to her work at Instagram, where understanding user behavior and promoting positive interactions are crucial for product development and user experience.