Affective & Cognitive Influences on Decisions (ACID) Lab

Principal Investigator:

Dr. John Hinson

Contact Information:
Email: hindson@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 350
Phone: (509) 335-1089
Lab web site:

http://www.wsu.edu/psychology/research/labs/ACID/home.html

Summary:

The primary objective of our research is to better understand how cold cognition (rational or deliberative processes) and hot cognition (affective or emotional processes) contribute to decision making. People often make decisions under suboptimal conditions, including conditions of distraction, information overload, or cognitive fatigue, leading to less than ideal decision outcomes. In laboratory studies we use cognitive or affective challenges, such as memory loads and divided attention tasks, to examine how these challenges constrain good decision making. These experimental manipulations are intended to capture important elements of real world challenges to decision making and allow us to better explain problems in decision making underlying difficulties in self-regulation.

Adult Psychopathology Lab

Principal Investigator:

Dr. David Marcus

Contact Information:
Email: david.marcus@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 223C
Phone: (509) 335-7750

Summary:

The two main areas that the Adult Psychopathology lab is focused on are

   (a) Psychopathy and other externalizing disorders
   (b) Health anxiety/hypochondria

Much of our research on psychopathy has used Meehl’s taxometric method to examine whether psychopathy and related disorders (e.g., antisocial personality disorder, conduct disorder) exist along a continuum or are discrete, qualitatively distinct conditions. In other words, this research is interested in the question of whether there are “psychopaths” who are uniquely different from others or whether psychopathy is a dimensional construct. The lab is currently examining the behavioral correlates of psychopathic personality traits, such as the association between psychopathy and risky sexual behavior. Additionally, our research on health anxiety has focused on how dysfunctional beliefs and a ruminative cognitive style contribute to health anxiety and hypochondriasis.

Aging and Dementia Laboratory

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe

Contact Information:
Email: schmitter-e@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 312
Phone: (509) 335-0170
Websites:

http://www.wsu.edu/psychology/research/labs/neurorehablab/index.html

Summary:

The goal of this research program is to develop cognitive interventions that will help older individuals with progressive dementia (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease) delay functional disability and increase their quality-of-life. Participants in many of our studies are healthy older adults and early-stage dementia patients who complete standardized neuropsychological tests and cognitive experimental tasks that assess different cognitive skills (e.g., memory, problem-solving). We are currently investigating the relationship between memory deficits and everyday functional disabilities, and experimenting with a memory notebook and smart environment technologies to help persons with dementia compensate in their daily lives for declining memory.

Attention, Perception & Performance

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Lisa Fournier

Contact Information:
Email: lfournier@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 233D
Phone: (509) 335-4415
Fax: (509) 335-4050
Websites:

http://public.wsu.edu/~fournier/index.htm

Summary:

Selective attention is assumed to allow one to consciously perceive and act on certain information while ignoring other information. Working memory can allow us to translate, withhold, organize, and prioritize various motor actions. Because both selective attention and working memory have been shown to be a mental resource with a limited capacity, we can only process and respond to a limited amount of information at one time. Our laboratory is currently investigating how selective attention operates and how attention modulates visual perception and motor performance as well as how prioritization of actions and demands on working memory affect perception and our ability to quickly and accurately execute motor actions.

Attention-deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders Research

Principal Investigator:

Dr. G. Leonard Burns

Contact Information:
Email: glburns@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 221C
Phone: (509) 335-8229

Summary:

I am currently using structural equation modeling procedures (e.g., confirmatory factor analysis, structural regression analysis, latent growth analysis, item response theory) to develop and validate parent and teacher rating scales of attention-deficit and conduct problem behaviors within and across ethnic groups in the United States as well as within and across countries. Current projects are comparing the similarities and differences in the organization of these symptoms across Brazilian, Thai, and American children. Other research focuses on the similarities and differences in the organization of these symptoms across English and Spanish parent rating scales for Hispanic families. Students who work with me have the opportunity to examine ethnic and cultural differences in child behavior problems as well as learn advanced measurement and analytic procedures.

Beauchaine Lab

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Theodore Beauchaine

Contact Information:
Email: ted.beauchaine@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 237C
Phone: (509) 335-9127
Websites:

Center for Advocacy and Treatment of Children's Health (CATCH)

Summary:

Our lab conducts research aimed at increasing our understanding of how impulsivity and emotion regulation develop, and whether certain experiences in childhood and adolescence place individuals at risk for later difficulties in a number of life domains. We conceptualize emotion regulation as the ability to modulate negative affective states. Individuals who develop poor emotion regulation capabilities may be vulnerable to later depression, anxiety, substance use, and/or conduct problems. It is our long-term objective to develop preventive interventions for many of these conditions through the scientific exploration of emotion regulation and its development. We are particularly concerned with family interactional patterns that may inadvertently reinforce negative affect, and with the role that these patterns play in children's social and emotional development. We see childhood and adolescence as particularly important periods during which developing autonomic systems may be vulnerable to potential long-term changes in functioning. We assess emotion regulation and other individual differences at several levels of analysis, including behavioral, psychophysiological, self-report, and observational. Among the projects we currently have underway are (a) a longitudinal assessment of conduct problems and depression in preadolescents, (b) a study of autonomic nervous system response patterns in adolescents who have attempted suicide, (c) a study of the psychophysiological correlates of positive emotionality among young adults, and (d) an exploration of autonomic anomalies in preschool children who are extremely hyperactive. These projects are funded through grants from the National Institute of Mental Health. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about our work.

Behavioral Pharmacology Lab

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Jay Wright

Contact Information:
Email: wrightjw@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 317
Phone: (509) 335-2329

Summary:

Our focus is on gaining an understanding of how habituation, sensitization and explicit memories are encoded and consolidated in the hippocampus and how dysfunctional memory disorders (dementias) can be better treated. We have synthesized several angiotensin analogs that show promise as notropics. We are also interested in developing new drug treatments for seizure disorders. Finally, we continue to investigate the underlying physiology of blood pressure and better treatment strategies to control hypertension.

Depression and Personality Lab

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Paul Kwon

Contact Information:
Email: kwonp@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 233
Phone: (509) 335-4633

Summary:

Etiology of Depression, Integration of Cognitive and Psychodynamic Perspectives, Hope and Adjustment.

Infant Temperament Lab

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Masha Gartstein

Contact Information:
Email: gartstma@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 352D-F
Phone: (509) 335-4651
Websites:

http://public.wsu.edu/~templab/

Summary:

The WSU Temperament Laboratory has been functioning since 2002, conducting projects that are focused on the evaluation of temperament development in early childhood. Specifically, growth in temperament characteristics across infancy, relationships with parent-child interactions factors, and attachment, are currently being examined. Cross-cultural differences in the development of temperament are also being investigated, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Murcia in Spain and the State Research Institute of Physiology, in Novosibirsk, Russia. Longitudinal evaluations, following children into the preschool period are currently being planned. For example, infant temperament predictors of early behavior problems and psychopathology will be examined.

Interpersonal Processes Lab

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Craig Parks

Contact Information:
Email: parkscd@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 209
Phone: (509) 335-8946

Summary:

Individual Differences in Cooperative Choice
Cognitive and Strategic Approaches to Social Dilemma Resolution
Attributions for Poor Performance by Groups

My primary interest is in understanding the internal, individual-level factors that influence a person's frequency of cooperative responses in an interdependent group setting. I usually study mixed-motive situations, but have also looked at behavior within decision-making groups. I have focused most heavily on two factors: (1) stable individual difference characteristics and (2) actions of others as a stimulus for own choice. However, I have recently begun investigating more cognitively-based factors, in particular retrospection, mood, misperception of others' actions, and attributions for others' noncooperative behavior.

Laboratory of Alcoholism and Addictions Neuroscience

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Brendan Walker

Contact Information:
Email: b_walker@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 210
Phone: (509) 335-8526
Websites:

http://public.wsu.edu/~b_walker/

Summary:

The primary interest of the LAAN is to understand the neurobehavioral impact of acute and chronic drugs of abuse such as alcohol, psychostimulants and heroin. Behavioral, neurochemical and molecular approaches will be utilized to achieve this goal. As information is obtained about the acute and chronic substrates of addiction and dependence, that information can be used for the development of pharmacotherapeutics to treat addictive disorders.

Neural Mechanisms of Pain Modulation

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Mike Morgan

Contact Information:
Email: morgan@vancouver.wsu.edu
Office: VANC CL 208V (Vancouver Campus)
Phone: (360) 546-9726
Websites:

http://directory.vancouver.wsu.edu/people/michael-morgan

Summary:

The analgesic effects of morphine and other opioids decrease with repeated administration. Our lab has shown that a brain structure known as the periaqueductal gray plays an important role in morphine analgesia and tolerance. Our current objective is to understand the neural mechanism within the periaqueductal gray that causes this change in morphine potency. These studies use in vitro electrophysiology and behavioral pharmacology to link molecular changes in cell signaling to behavior.

Occupational Health and safety Lab

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Tahira Probst

Contact Information:
Email: probst@vancouver.wsu.edu
Office: VCLS 05 - Vancouver (Regional Campus)
Phone: (360) 546-9746
Websites:

http://research.vancouver.wsu.edu/ohs-lab

Summary:

While I am fascinated by many different areas of industrial/organizational psychology, my research over the past 15 years has largely focused on issues related to employee health, well-being and safety. In particular, I am interested in the topics of economic stress and job insecurity; accident under-reporting; and organizational safety climate and safety leadership behaviors. In addition, many of my research studies attempt to delineate the extent to which our findings generalize to other cultural contexts and to identify sociocultural variables that may explain any observed differences.

I invite you to explore the OHS Lab website to learn more about our research in these areas and how you can get involved! Many of our studies have been several student-initiated research projects. So, if you have a great idea for some I/O-related research, but don't see it described on this site, chances are you can still pursue your interests.

Operant Conditioning Lab

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Fran McSweeney

Contact Information:
Email: fkmcs@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 212
Phone: (509) 335-3508
Websites:

http://www.wsu.edu/psychology/research/labs/operantconditioning/index.html

Summary:

My current research examines systematic changes in the ability of reinforcers to support responding (changes in reinforcer value). Response rates are not constant within sessions when animals respond on operant or classical conditioning procedures. Instead, responding usually starts slowly, increases to a peak, and then decreases within the session. These systematic changes in response rate occur mainly because the value of the reinforcer changes with its repeated delivery across the session. The changes in reinforcer value are, in turn, produced by sensitization and habituation to the sensory properties of the reinforcer. I believe that sensitization-habituation may eventually provide the key to understanding the termination of many behaviors that are currently attributed to different mechanisms. For example, the termination of feeding is usually attributed to satiation; the termination of running to fatigue; the termination of videogame playing to boredom; and the termination of drug taking to achieving the desired high. Arguing, instead, that all of these behaviors stop in part because of habituation to the sensory properties of their reinforcers suggests a common theoretical explanation for the behaviors, as well as entirely new methods for controlling these behaviors in practice.

Personality and Affect Lab (Tri-Cities)

Principal Investigator:

Sarah L. Tragesser

Paul S. Strand

Contact Information:
Email: stragesser@tricity.wsu.edu
Office: Tri-Cities (Regional Campus)
Phone: (509) 372-7388

Summary:

In the Personality and Affect Lab, we focus on the personality and affective processes that contribute to a variety of behaviors including interpersonal behaviors and relationships, substance use and abuse, and cognitive processing of emotional stimuli. Our research methods include the use of questionnaires, neurocognitive (EEG, ERP) measures, and palm pilots, among others.

Political Interaction Lab

Principal Investigator:

Francis Benjamin

Dr. Craig Parks

Contact Information:
Email: benjamin@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 106
Phone: (509) 335-7146

Summary:

Psychopharmacology Lab

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Rebecca Craft

Contact Information:
Email: craft@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 233D
Phone: (509) 335-5040
Websites:

http://public.wsu.edu/~craft/

Summary:

Psychoactive drugs are widely used, both therapeutically and recreationally, throughout the world. Much of the basic pharmacology of these drugs has been elucidated over the past few decades; however, until recently nearly all drug research – indeed, nearly all biomedical research – was conducted only in male subjects (e.g., male mice, male rats, male monkeys, male humans). Increasing evidence indicates that “reproductive hormones” such as estrogens have multiple effects on nervous system function that are not directly tied to reproductive processes. Thus, “male” and “female” biology per se can predispose an organism to experience drugs differently. Using animal models, the broad research goals of the Craft laboratory are to determine how gonadal steroid hormones such as testosterone and estradiol modulate pain, mood, and the therapeutic and side-effects of psychoactive drugs such as opioids and cannabinoids. The clinical applications of this work are (1) the development of sex-specific guidelines for use of psychotherapeutic and analgesic medications; and (2) improved prevention and treatment of gonadal steroid hormone-mediated pain and depression.

Self and Social Judgment Laboratory

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Joyce Ehrlinger

Contact Information:
Email: psychemail@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 233
Phone: (509) 335-2632
Websites:

http://joyceehrlinger.com

Summary:

Accurate self-insight is critical for learning and goal pursuit. However, the confidence people hold all too rarely matches the confidence they merit. As a result, those with great confidence pass up opportunities to gain actual knowledge and skill. Others are held back by a failure to recognize their strengths.

My research applies a dual-faceted approach to shed new light on the processes that underlie accuracy and error in self-judgment and, in particular, overconfidence. Taking a bottom-up perspective, I have identified important factors that keep people from learning about mistakes and, consequently, their abilities. I also examine the top-down consequences of beliefs about ability and objectivity on self-judgment. Finally, my work examines the consequences of over- and underconfidence for goal commitment, persistence, and achievement.

Traumatic Brain Injury Research Laboratory

Principal Investigator:

Dr. Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe

Contact Information:
Email: schmitter-e@wsu.edu
Office: Johnson Tower 312
Phone: (509) 335-0170
Websites:

http://www.wsu.edu/psychology/research/labs/neurorehablab/index.html

Summary:

Difficulties with memory, attention and complex problem-solving are common cognitive problems that can occur after someone experiences a traumatic brain injury (TBI). By bridging basic science research with rehabilitation techniques, our work is designed to help persons with TBI overcome cognitive difficulties. Participants in our studies complete standardized neuropsychological tests and cognitive experimental tasks that assess many different types of cognitive abilities. In conjunction with St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute in Spokane, we are currently investigating the recovery process of several important cognitive abilities (e.g., time perception, prospective memory, focused and divided attention, and metamemorial abilities) following a TBI.