Cognitive and affective regulation

My primary research interest is in the neural and psychological bases of cognitive and affective control. My research quantifies behavioral performance and brain activity--measured primarily using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)--to investigate the neural mechanisms by which humans have flexible control over their behavior. This approach emphasizes the mutual constraints on interpretation afforded by studying behavior and functional anatomy at the same time. My main research interests along those lines are:

• individual differences in selective attention, inhibition, task switching, and other executive processes
• mechanisms of emotion and affect regulation
• the relationship between affective regulation and cognitive control
  

I am also interested in developing image analysis and statistical modeling methods that will improve our ability to use fMRI as a research tool in cognitive and affective neuroscience. Current projects along these lines include:

• optimization of experimental design for fMRI experiments, including computer aided design using genetic algorithms
• meta-analysis of functional imaging data
• nonlinear alternatives to hemodynamic response fitting
• robust regression techniques in massively univariate linear models
• application of multivariate techniques

Wager, T. D., Rilling, J., Smith, E. E., Sokolik, A., Casey, K., Kosslyn, S. M., Davidson, R.J., Rose, R. M., Cohen, J. D. (2004). Placebo-induced changes in fMRI in the anticipation and experience of pain. Science, 303, 1162-1167.

• PSYC W1610 Intro Stat for Behav. Sci.
• PSYC W3485/G4485 Neuroscience of Cognitive & Emotional Control