Emotions are…complicated
Overarching themes.
In our lab, we primarily focus on the influence of emotions and their regulation on decision-making and behavior. This involves examining emotional experience at every step of the process — how it is represented in the brain, how it is verbally labelled, when/if individuals recognize the need for it to be regulated, and how it influences judgment and decision-making.
Methods.
To examine these kinds of questions, we utilize functional neuroimaging, physiological, and audiovisual recording methods coupled with an emphasis on naturalistic study design. Using these methods, we can non-invasively examine emotional experience as individuals do things like watch television or have conversations.
Current research topics.
Ongoing work in our lab is examining the types of emotion regulation strategies that people use in naturalistic contexts, what emotions underlie feeling more or less “certain” about a moral judgment, whether adopting a curious mindset can decrease negative emotions, and identifying the emotional and linguistic predictors of close/supportive friendship.
Emotion in naturalistic contexts
One of our primary interests is examining how emotional experiences unfold in real time, in real-world (or its closest approximation) situations.
Selected publications:
Mitchell, W. J., Stasiak, J., Martinez, S. A., Cliver, K., Gregory, D. F., Reisman, S., Murty, V. P., & Helion, C. (preprint). Emotion regulation strategy usage in a dynamic, high-intensity context.
Stasiak, J. E., Mitchell, W. J., Reisman, S. S., Gregory, D. F., Murty, V. P., & Helion, C. (2023). Physiological arousal guides situational appraisals and metacognitive recall for naturalistic experiences. Neuropsychologia, 180, 108467.
Mitchell, W. J., Tepfer, L. J., Henninger, N. M., Perlman, S. B., Murty, V. P., & Helion, C. (2022). Developmental differences in affective representation between prefrontal and subcortical structures. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 17(3), 311-322.
Affective Influences on Social Relationships
Social relationships are critically important for health and well-being. In one of our primary lines of research, we examine how emotion influences how social relationships are represented and experienced.
Selected publications:
Ulichney, G., Schmidt, H., & Helion, C. (in press). Perceived relational support is associated with everyday positive, but not negative, affectivity in a U.S. sample. In press at Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Schmidt, H.**, Tran, S.**, Medaglia, J., Ulichney, G., & Helion, C. (preprint). Conversational linguistic features predict social network learning.
Helion, C., Helzer, E. G., Kim, S., & Pizarro, D. A. (2020). Asymmetric memory for harming versus being harmed. Journal of experimental psychology: general, 149(5), 889.
** denotes equal contribution
Regulating emotion in social and moral contexts
Regulating emotion can be hard. Really hard. In our final line of research, we examine the behavioral bases of emotion regulation in social contexts, with a special focus on moral decision making and on developmental/lifespan differences.
Selected publications:
Cosme, D.**, Helion, C.**, Kang, Y., Lydon-Staley, D. M., Dore, B. P., Stanoi, O., ... & Falk, E. (preprint). Mindful attention to alcohol can reduce cravings in the moment and consumption in daily life.
Ham, J., Murty, V. P., & Helion, C. (preprint). Curiosity and the regulation of affective memory.
Helion, C., & Ochsner, K. N. (2018). The role of emotion regulation in moral judgment. Neuroethics, 11, 297-308.
Helion, C., Krueger, S. M., & Ochsner, K. N. (2019). Emotion regulation across the life span. Handbook of clinical neurology, 163, 257-280.
** denotes equal contribution
