My research program examines the neural and computational mechanisms underlying how goals, beliefs, and emotions shape individuals' subjective interpretations of their physical and social environments. At its core, my research program seeks to understand why it is that identical situations can lead to markedly different interpretations and responses across individuals. To that end, I have investigated how goals and desires warp visual perception, how political beliefs shape the interpretation of political information, and how people interpret and respond to ambiguous social interactions. Additionally, my work examines narrative processing and understanding, examining how emotional and cognitive factors influence the way we comprehend and remember stories.

I direct the Computational Affective and Social Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Chicago. Please see my lab website for more information about my work.