Research Labs

Principle Investigator	Lab	Summary
	Behavioral Neuroscience Lab Angela M. Henricks angela.henricks@wsu.edu	Work in the lab uses rodent models to better understand the neurobiology of substance use and mental illness. We use translational approaches to identify neural circuits associated with addiction-related behavior and development, often in the context of co-occurring mental illness. Since males and females demonstrate different vulnerabilities to psychological disorders (e.g., addiction, depression, psychosis), and females have historically been understudied in preclinical research, we are particularly focused on understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of these sex differences. Our ultimate goal is to enhance translation of preclinical findings to clinical populations, and contribute to the development of personalized, effective therapies for substance use disorder and mental illness in women and men.
	Chronic Illness Lab Karen Schmaling karen.schmaling@wsu.edu	Our research focuses in two types of chronic illness, as well as their interactions: (1) the psychology of chronic illness (e.g., chronic fatigue, chronic pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia, asthma); and (2) descriptive and intervention research in chronic mental disorders (e.g., depressive disorders). In addition, we have a set of studies related to diversity science in higher education, i.e., differences in faculty behavior by gender and ethnicity; faculty perceptions of diversity; and the effects of policies to diversify the faculty.
	Child Externalizing Behaviors Lab Tammy Barry tammy.barry@wsu.edu	The Child Externalizing Behaviors Lab conducts research on biologically-based and contextual correlates of child externalizing behaviors, including ADHD, aggression, and disruptive behaviors associated with autism. Factors examined in our research include neuropsychological functioning/endophenotypes, child temperament, parental psychopathology/stress, parenting practices, SES/neighborhood characteristics, and individual difference factors (e.g., narcissism and psychopathy), among other variables. Our research also focuses on the measurement and latent structure of externalizing behavior disorders, such as ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder.
	Coalition for Healthy and Equitable Workplaces Tahira M. Probst probst@vancouver.wsu.edu	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.
	Behavioral Pharmacology Lab Raymond M. Quock quockr@wsu.edu	Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂) therapy is breathing 100% pressurized oxygen for therapeutic purposes. HBO₂ actually originated in the 1600s but over the years has emerged as a recommended treatment for decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other conditions. For the past ten years, our laboratory has been describing and characterizing the varied pharmacological effects of HBO₂. Our research has suggested a relationship between HBO₂-induced antinociception and the endogenous opioid systems, and between HBO₂-induced antianxiety effects and brain GABA-benzodiazepine receptors. We identified the role of the biological regulator nitric oxide in the effects of HBO₂. HBO₂ therapy has been approved by the FDA for a limited set of clinical indications, although there are clinical reports that HBO₂ therapy appears to be effective in a broader range of conditions. Further research into the mechanisms of HBO₂ may contribute to expanding its potential clinical uses.
	Affective and Cognitive Influences of Decisions (ACID) Lab Paul Whitney and John Hinson pwhitney@wsu.edu	I am engaged in collaborative research in cognition and cognitive neuroscience that focuses on the role of working memory and affective processing in executive function and decision making. Our investigations have included studies of how risky decision making is affected by situational factors, particularly sleep deprivation, that can temporarily alter the integration of hit emotional and cold cognitive information
	Emotion and Social Development Lab Paul Strand pstrand@tricity.wsu.edu	Our research is concerned with the emotional and social skills development of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. We are currently investigating what information is useful to counselors and educators who seek to improve outcomes for children at-risk for school failure and for juvenile justice system involvement. Also of interest to us, particularly in our work with preschoolers, is how emotion knowledge and social values develop and impact school adjustment.
	Neural Mechanisms of Pain Modulation Michael Morgan morgan@vancouver.wsu.edu	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.
	Building Opportunities for Learning (BOLD) Lab & Development Elizabeth Canning elizabeth.canning@wsu.edu	In the BOLD (Building Opportunities for Learning & Development) lab, we use experimental methods to understand the subtle interpersonal and organizational messages that perpetuate bias and inequality. We specifically focus on subtle messages about belonging, value, talent, and ability that are communicated by institutions, employers, instructors, and peers. We use social-psychological theory to design and implement field-based interventions that address important social inequalities, such as racial and social-class achievement gaps.
	Pedagogical Research Lab Donelle “Dee” C. Posey deeposey@wsu.edu	In my research, I focus on the effectiveness of instructional strategies and related student factors. My current interests include evaluating instructional strategies in Elementary Statistics in Psychology (Psych 311) as well as statistics anxiety. In my research and practice, I have two goals: 1) ease the anxiety that many students have coming into a statistics course, and 2) convey statistical concepts in a way that are relevant and interesting, and enduring.
	Youth Personality and Behavior Lab Chris Barry chris.barry@wsu.edu	Our research team, conducts studies dealing broadly with risk and protective factors related to child and adolescent behavioral problems. More specifically, we have focused on self-perception (e.g., narcissism, self-esteem) and callous-unemotional traits as they relate to various aspects of youth adjustment, particularly aggression and delinquency. Additional projects involve evidence-based assessment of child/adolescent conduct problems and the role of self-perception on social media behavior. The latter has included how individuals perceive narcissistic status updates from others and the association between narcissism and self-photography (i.e., “selfie”) posts on social media.
	The Health & Cognition (THC) Lab Carrie Cuttler carrie.cuttler@wsu.edu	My lab focuses on the links between health and cognition. I am currently focused on examining links between cannabis use and mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety, OCD) as well as the effects of chronic cannabis use and different forms of exercise on cognitive functioning. More specifically, my current research projects focus on examining i) the links between stress and cannabis use, iii) the perceived efficacy of different strains of cannabis on the treatment of anxiety, depression, stress, and other medical conditions, iii) the influence of cannabis use (early vs. late onset, concentrate use vs. marijuana use) on cognitive functioning, iv) the effects of different forms of exercise (aerobic, resistance, yoga) on cognitive functioning.
	Political Interaction Lab Francis Benjamin and Lisa Fournier benjamin@wsu.edu	The Political Interaction Lab focuses on the political engagement of individuals. Of particular interest is the motivation and interaction of individuals and their effect on the political process.
	Personality, Psychopathology, and Assessment Lab Walt Scott walter.scott@wsu.edu	Broadly, I am in interested in basic personality structures and processes (e.g., temperament, self-beliefs/schemata, goals, etc.), how to measure them, and how to understand their contributions to personality functioning and to clinical depression.
	Personality and Affect Lab Sarah L. Tragesser stragesser@tricity.wsu.edu	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.
	Neuropsychology and Aging Laboratory Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe schmitter-e@wsu.edu	Aging and Dementia Neuropsychology: 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. Traumatic Brain Injury Neuropsychology Research Lab: 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.
	Infant Temperament Lab Maria (Masha) Gartstein gartstma@wsu.edu	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.
	Attention, Perception & Performance Lab Lisa R. Fournier lfournier@wsu.edu	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.
	Affective and Cognitive Influences of Decisions (ACID) Lab John Hinson and Paul Whitney hinson@wsu.edu	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.
	Adolescent Health & Wellness Lab Jessica Fales jessica.fales@wsu.edu	The Adolescent Health & Wellness Lab conducts high quality research in the areas of pediatric pain, social development, and positive psychology. Our current research efforts are primarily focused on the identification of social risk and protective factors associated with the chronic pain experience in adolescence. The ultimate goal of our research is to prevent the development of chronic pain problems in otherwise healthy youth and to help develop more effective treatments for adolescents with pain and their families.
	Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (Sluggish Cognitive Tempo) and Child Psychopathology Lab G. Leonard Burns glburns@wsu.edu	I am currently using latent variable modeling procedures (e.g., confirmatory factor analysis, structural regression analysis, latent growth analysis, item response theory) to study ADHD, Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (Sluggish Cognitive Tempo), and ODD within and across countries.
	Adult Psychopathology Lab David Marcus david.marcus@wsu.edu	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.
	SCENe Lab Kim Meidenbauer k.meidenbauer@wsu.edu	Research in the SCENe Lab examines how features of the physical and social environment affect individuals’ brains and their behavior. Currently, the lab’s work focuses on how heat exposure can lead to deleterious psychological outcomes and antisocial behaviors, and how greenspace interventions can be used to improve psychological well-being. Work in the lab is also focused on the creation and validation of research methods that allow us to “take the lab outside” via browser-based tasks, mobile neuroimaging (fNIRS), and experience sampling techniques. We also advocate for and prioritize the use of open science practices.
	Culture, Assessment, & Well-being Lab Hsin-Ya Liao hsinya.liao@wsu.edu	In the Culture, Assessment, and Well-being Lab, we examine the role of culture and diversity on mental health service delivery and psychological wellbeing. We also examine the vocational interest structure and assessment across culture, advocating a greater use of the indigenous interest measures than the imported ones.