Current Lab Members & Research Questions

Director

Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D.
Curriculum Vitae
blf@unc.edu

How do increases in daily positive emotions contribute to physical health?

Are co-experienced positive emotions more beneficial for health and well-being than solo-experienced positive emotions?

Graduate Students

Chaewoo Lim
chaewoo@unc.edu

For whom are interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness most effective, and what psychological factors shape their impact?

How does prioritizing positivity resonance shape people’s social behavior in daily life?

Rhetta Power 
rpower@unc.edu

How does technology impact social connection and well-being?

Do digital experiences influence face-to-face interactions? How are moments of positivity resonance shaped by the ubiquitous presence of technology?

Postdoctoral Fellows

Catherine Berman, Ph.D. (she/her)
catherine.j.berman@unc.edu

How do shared positive affective processes and social connections influence the initiation and maintenance of individual and collective health behaviors?

What psychological processes influence support for policies that address health inequalities?

Taylor N. West, Ph.D.
taywest@unc.edu

What are the benefits and barriers of co-experienced positive emotions with strangers and weak ties (e.g., acquaintances, coworkers)?

How can individuals and communities preserve and/or improve the quality of connection with strangers, particularly amidst rapid social and technological change?