Current Projects:

Emotional Processing and its Regulation

Emotional stimuli automatically capture attention, receive increased perceptual processing resources, and elicit physiological changes that may prepare organisms for action (cf., Hajcak et al., 2006).  Utilizing visual stimuli from the International Affective Picture System, we have shown that event-related brain activity elicited by emotional stimuli is sensitive to multiple emotion regulation strategies (cf., Hajcak & Nieuwenhuis, in press; Hajcak, Moser, & Simons, 2006; Moser, Hajcak, & Simons, 2006).  Currently, we are continuing to examine both central (ERP) and peripheral (heart rate, skin conductance) correlates of emotional processing and its regulation, especially in relation to individual differences measures. 

Error-related brain activity

We have reported increased error-related brain activity in obsessive-compulsive (Hajcak & Simons, 2002) and worried (Hajcak, McDonald, & Simons, 2003) subjects, as well as subjects who score high on trait measures of negative affect (Hajcak, McDonald, & Simons, 2004).  However, increasing state levels of affective distress/anxiety does not appear to increase error-related brain activity (Moser, Hajcak, & Simons, 2005/6).  We are currently examining the underlying mechanisms relating anxiety and error-related brain activity. 

We have also studied brain activity related to processing negative feedback (Hajcak, Moser, Holroyd, & Simons, 2006; Hajcak, Holroyd, Moser, & Simons, 2005; Holroyd, Hajcak, & Larsen, in press).  Ongoing studies are evaluating the role of predictions in processing reward and non-reward.

Emotion - Cognition Interactions

Using psychophysiological indices of emotional processing, our goal is to better characterize interactions between emotion, cognition, and action.  We are interested, for instance, in how emotional states such as fear and anxiety influence orienting, attention, memory, and learning.  Similarly, we are interested in whether treatment-related changes in symptom severity (in anxiety disorders, for instance) are reflected in physiological measures of emotional and cognitive processing.

Our Tools:

With a Biosemi 64-channel active electrode recording system, we record EEG/ERP, as well as skin conductance (SC) and heart rate (HR).  Additionally, we are acquiring a PsyLab system from Contact Precision Instruments that we will use for startle and conditioning studies. 

In collaboration with other investigators, we are utilizing personality, developmental, genetic, and functional neuroimaging approaches to understand variation in emotional processing.  For a list of current collaborators, please look on the "Links/Resources" page.