Research

Healthy aging is associated with a striking paradox: As adults age, they typically have better control over their emotions while also simultaneously experiencing decline in cognitive functions and brain systems that have been associated with managing emotions. This study will investigate the brain basis of emotion regulation in middle- and older-age adults, and how a history of depression might impact these typical trajectory of age-related improvements.

Collaborators include Drs. Tammy English and Todd Braver from Washington University in St. Louis.

The overarching goal of this study is to learn more about people’s everyday emotional experiences. We use an ecological momentary assessment to survey participants are five times a day for two weeks at random intervals. We also study how people manage or impact their emotions, including how they think about their emotions and whether they share them with other people. Finally, we look at how emotions can influence other common experiences like how people make decisions in their everyday lives. 

Collaborators include Drs. Tammy English and Kirsten Gilbert from Washington University in St. Louis.

Social media has become ubiquitous in the everyday lives of millions. Despite the widespread use of social media platforms across the globe, little is known regarding how individuals use these platforms, nor do we understand how specific social media activities impact emotion. In the current study, we aim to a) develop a social media use measure that encapsulates all of the activities in which individuals can engage on social media, b) determine which of these groups of activities are associated with the experiences of positive versus negative emotions, and c) determine how mood at the time of social media use influences how individuals use and perceive social media (i.e., what activities they engage in and how these activities make them feel). Further, we recently explored the role of social media on social and emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic!