Research Areas

Neuroscience of Complex Feelings

Nearly all research emotion research has been focused on either traditional emotion categories (Happy, Sad, Fearful, etc.) or bipolar spectrums thought to underlie our feelings (such as negative to positive valence). To understand affect in new contexts, we need to study the ‘messier’ feelings we have traditionally overlooked. This research has involved developing the theories and experimental designs necessary for studying complex emotions. Neuroimaging work in this area has included the first study to show a spatiotemporally consistent neural signature for mixed emotions, and adult brain development during stressful but meaningful life transitions.

Affective Technology

As technology becomes ever-present, my work has increasingly focused on how media and AI influence our emotional experience and understanding. Some of my previous work in this area has included exploring how affective neuroscience can be used to develop a more nuanced understanding of video gaming behavior, investigating the neural basis of immersion into stories, and applying principles from the neurobiology of complex feeling to proposals for building artificial intelligence that better aligns with our goals.

Personalization and the Future of Feeling

This line of research brings together my interests in complex feelings and emerging technology to understand how increasingly personalized digital environments shape emotional experience and development.

By combining affective neuroscience with the study of social media, artificial intelligence, and digital environments, I investigate how new technologies influence the feelings through which people form relationships, develop identities, and navigate everyday life. Current projects examine algorithmic media feeds, AI chatbots, and immersive digital experiences, with a particular focus on emotions such as FOMO, nostalgia, envy, boredom, and amusement.

Ultimately, I hope these cases can inform theory-building on the fundamental processes through which self-relevance, embodiment, and the neurobiology of valence give rise to conscious feeling and empathy.