Our primary research areas include social isolation, loneliness, and health; social motivation and effort in psychopathology; and digital interventions to address motivation and social processes. For more information, be sure to check out our Research and Publications pages!

Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Health:

Our primary line of research focuses on identifying the variables most critical for role and social functioning among persons with physical and mental health needs. Loneliness and isolation are two key contributors to poorer functioning, especially for those living with serious mental illness. We take a multi-method approach, including ecological momentary assessment, smartphone sensors, neuroimaging, and psychophysiology, to better understand when people feel lonely and how we can best intervene. Additionally, we are interested in the neurobiological mechanisms of loneliness and how these processes may contribute to poorer physical health. To see our previous projects on social isolation, loneliness, and health check out our Publications page! For more information and to see our ongoing projects in this area, check out our Research page!

Social Motivation and Effort in Psychopathology:

Motivational and emotional difficulties are transdiagnostic processes. We are interested in how motivation may vary depending on individual differences and environmental feedback. Specifically, we assess people’s perceptions of the costs and potential benefits of a given goal, how these perceptions influence willingness to work for rewards, and the role of emotion in driving these decisions. For example, our work has found that some people who experience mood and thinking problems (e.g., those with psychosis or depression) might over-estimate the work required to obtain a goal, including social rewards, and thus not exert the requisite effort to accomplish their goals. We are particularly interested in understanding how perceptions of social goals may help or hinder social goal pursuit in everyday life. To see our previous projects on social motivation and effort in psychopathology, check out our Publications page! For more information and to see our ongoing projects in this area, check out our Research page!

Digital Interventions to Address Motivation and Social Processes:

Much of our work in the lab involves the use of technology (primarily smartphones) to understand the richness inherent in the daily lives of people across the spectrum of psychopathology.  Ultimately, findings from our studies, as well as those conducted in other research labs, inform the development and testing of interventions aimed at improving social and occupational outcomes for people who struggle with motivational and emotional dysregulation. We assess and test digital health interventions aimed at improving motivation, social skills, cognitive difficulties, and health behaviors in those living with schizophrenia and other health conditions. To see our previous projects on digital interventions, check out our Publications page! For more information and to see our ongoing projects in this area, check out our Research page!