Research

The lab’s primary research goal is to gain a better understanding of how basic cognitive processes and individual differences in emotion and mood regulation increase the risk for the onset of depression and anxiety disorders, and hinder recovery from these disorders. We are currently working on a number of projects that integrate psychological and biological risk factors and investigate the role of attention, memory, and emotion regulation in the onset and maintenance of depressive disorders and anxiety disorders. We have also started projects that investigate factors that might explain the high rates of co-occurrence of depression and social anxiety.
 
To hear Dr. Joormann talk about our work, check out this video from the Experts in Emotion series.
 
We are currently looking for undergraduate research assistants for the 2025-2026 academic year (course credit possible). Please note that research assitants are expected to be IN PERSON at least some of the time for lab tasks. A two-semester commitment (5-10 hours/week) is strongly preferred. If you are interested, please email mark.chen@yale.edu. 
 
PROJECTS

  • Self-Belief Updating and Regulatory Flexibility in Social Anxiety Disorder (SURF-SAD; PI: Dr. Mark S. Chen)

This study investigates how individuals update their self-beliefs in response to social evaluations. Combining laboratory tasks with ecological momentary assessment (EMA), the project explores how patterns of belief updating—such as differing sensitivity to positive versus negative feedback—relate to psychopathology symptoms and the role of emotion regulation flexibility. We are especially interested in how cognitive and emotion regulation flexibility interact in the context of social anxiety and depression. We are looking for research assistants! If you are interested in getting involved, please email mark.chen@yale.edu

  • Flexibility in Emotion and Emotion Regulation among Sexual Minority Young Adults (SGMFlex; PI: Dr. Mark S. Chen)

Contextual factors, such as stigma-related experiences, play an important roles in how we experience and regulate our emotions. Funded by the APF visionary grant, this study examines how stigma-related experiences influence emotional processing (recognition, reactivity, and regulation) in sexual minority young adults ages 18–25. In this fully online, 21-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study, we will recruite sexual minority young adults across the United States and examine dynamic fluctuations in emotional processing and stigma. This work aims to clarify how stigma impacts emotional processing in daily life and identify mechanisms that may support resilience and mental health in this population. We are looking for research assistants! If you are interested in getting involved, please email mark.chen@yale.edu

  • Early Life Stress stress and perceptual decision-making (PI: Jessica Duda)

The purpose of this work is to examine the association between exposure to early life stress, especially unpredictable threats, and perception of threat in the environment. We also seek to investigate whether altered threat-related perceptual decision-making is associated with internalizing symptoms (depression, anxiety) among people exposed to early life adversity.

  • Deficits in Belief Updating as a Mechanism Underlying Social Anxiety and Depression and the Interplay Between these Disorders (PI: Reut Zabag) 

    The aim of the current research is to understand the role of belief updating in the temporal unfolding of social anxiety and depression. I am also interested in understanding the role of belief updating in moderating the relationship between these disorders. If you are interested in getting involved, please email your CV to: reut.zabag@yale.edu.

  • Evaluating the Reliability and Convergent Validity of Various Belief Updating Measures (PI: Reut Zabag) 

    The aim of the study is to assess the reliability and convergent validity of various measures of belief updating. If you are interested in getting involved, please email your CV to: reut.zabag@yale.edu.

  • Interpretation Updating Under Threat: The relation between flexibility and stress exposure (PI: Wisteria Deng)

    This project explores the relation between interpretation flexibility and psychiatric symptoms (e.g., depression, state anxiety and paranoia) under acute stress exposure, specifically the anticipation of threat.

  • Examining Interpretation and Impression Updating: Associations with Affective and Psychotic Symptoms (PI: Wisteria Deng) 

    This project focuses on character impression updating that occurs alongside interpretation revisioning, specifically examining whether the inflexibility in interpreting individual social encounters relates to difficulties updating character impressions.

  • Understanding Flexibility in Revising Social Interpretations and Implementing Emotion Regulation Strategies: Associations with Positive and Negative Affect, and Psychiatric Symptoms (PI: Wisteria Deng)

    Interpretation revisioning in real world is a dynamic process influenced by a wide range of interpersonal factors. Utilizing the EMA method, this study explores interpretation revisioning in real life, especially how such flexibility relates to daily affect changes. In addition, this project examines emotion regulation flexibility, that shares the same underlying cognitive process with interpretation flexibility (e.g., abandoning existing beliefs to endorse new decisions) and has been linked with less symptoms and greater positive affect.