My research has two central themes. First and foremost, as a basic researcher, I am passionate about uncovering the multifaceted underpinnings of memory formation, particularly as this pertains to how then use those memories to make our everyday decisions. Secondly, I feel that it is imperative to stress applicability in my research; a scientific finding that cannot be applied to understanding a real phenomenon is not useful. As stated, my training is rooted in basic cognitive psychology, with an emphasis on the encoding and retrieval of emotional memory. To wit, I have ongoing research in three areas regarding long-term memory: event memory formation and retrieval, emotional associative memory, and, most importantly for the LCRC, the interpretation of misinformation warnings. This most recent line of work seeks to understand the boundary conditions of misinformation warnings on social media; determining whether misinformation warnings can be successful at reducing belief in misinformation and, if so, how they can be created to create long-lasting behavior change.
I am an author on several book chapters in Human Capacity in the Attention Economy (2021). This edited work describes the ways in which technology impacts human perceptual, cognitive, and emotional systems. In the chapters I contributed to, we discuss the impact of technology on emotional well-being, as well as how we can move forward and begin to harness technology in such a way that it facilitates our limited attentional capacities, allowing humans to make better decisions. In addition to these chapters, I have presented several projects at national conferences, with a focus on bridging the gap between basic and applied research.
