Rebecca Compton CV

Ph.D., Psychology (Biopsychology), University of Chicago, 1997

M.A., Psychology (Biopsychology), University of Chicago, 1995

B.A., Psychology, Vassar College, 1992

Professor, Haverford College, 2012 – present

Associate Professor, Haverford College, 2005-2012

Assistant Professor, Haverford College, 1999-2005

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997-1999

P.I., NSF RUI grant 2416630, 2025-2027

P.I., NSF RUI grant 1632584, 2016-2020

P.I., NIH AREA grant R15-MH085182, 2009-2012

P.I., NIH AREA grant R15-MH63715, 2001-2008

Haverford College, Faculty Research Grants, 2013-2016, 2020-24

Haverford College, Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, 2012

Univ. of Chicago, Women’s Council of the Brain Research Foundation, 1996-97

Univ. of Chicago, Harris Fellowship, 1992-1996

Vassar College, Phi Beta Kappa Prize, 1992

* Haverford/Bryn Mawr undergraduate co-author

Compton, R.J., *Mikulis, T., *Frost, C., *Shudrenko, D., *Cochran, R., *Ellis, T., *O’Sullivan, A., *Suryawanshi, T., & *Tang, N. Interoceptive awareness is associated with enhanced neural response to unpleasant images.

Compton, R.J., *O'Sullivan, A., *Suryawanshi, T., *Tang, N., *Cochran, R., *Ellis, T., *Frost, C., *Mikulis, T., *Shudrenko, D. Verbal fluency predicts modulation of the late positive potential by reappraisal.

Compton, R.J., *Cochran, R., *Ellis, T., *Frost, C., *O'Sullivan, A., *Suryawanshi, T., *Tang, N., *Shudrenko, D., & *Mikulis, T. Adversity and reappraisal of emotional images.

*Haverford undergraduate

Compton, R.J., *Shudrenko, D., *Ng, E.,* Mann, K., & *Turdukulov, E. (2024). Adversity and error-monitoring: effects of emotional context. Psychophysiology. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.14644

Compton, R.J., *Shudrenko, D., *Mann, K., *Turdukulov, E., *Ng, E., & *Miller, L. (2024). Effects of task context on EEG correlates of mind-wandering. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience, 24, 72–86. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-023-01138-9

Compton, R.J., *Kopczynski, E., *Sanchez, K., *Severtson, K., *Gengo, J., *Ahart, O., & *Handler, L. (2023). Does early adversity predict executive functioning difficulties among undergraduates? Dissociations among self-report, performance, and EEG measures. Neuropsychology, 38(1), 27-41.  https://doi.org/10.1037/neu0000921

Compton, R.J., *Jaskir, M., & *Mu, J. (2022). Effects of post-error arousal on cognitive control: Adaptive or maladaptive? Psychophysiology, 59(4), e13988. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.13988

*Robinson, H., *Sheen, E., *Sliwinski, R., *Mu, J., & Compton, R.J. (2021). Find the silver lining or ignore the cloud? Cognitive reappraisal versus visual attention training. Emotion, 21(6), 1204–1212. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000983

Compton, R.J., *Gearinger, D., *Wild, H., *Rette, D., *Heaton, E., *Histon, S., *Thiel, P., & *Jaskir, M. (2021). Simultaneous EEG and pupillary evidence for post-error arousal during a speeded performance task. European Journal of Neuroscience, 53, 543-555. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.14947

Compton, R.J., *Gearinger, D., & *Wild, H. (2019). The wandering mind oscillates:

EEG alpha power is enhanced during moments of mind-wandering. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience, 19, 1184-1191. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-019-00745-9

Compton, R.J., *Heaton, E., & *Gaines, A. (2018). Is attention enhanced following performance errors? Testing the adaptive control hypothesis. Psychophysiology, 55(4), e13022. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.13022

Compton, R.J., *Heaton, E., & *Ozer, E. (2017). Inter-trial interval duration affects error-monitoring. Psychophysiology, 54, 1151-1162.  https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12877

*Bing-Canar, H., *Pizzuto, J., & Compton, R.J. (2016). Mindfulness-of-breathing exercise modulates EEG alpha activity during cognitive performance. Psychophysiology, 53, 1366–1376. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12678

Compton, R.J., *Bissey, B., & *Worby-Selim, S. (2014). Task motivation influences alpha suppression following errors. Psychophysiology, 51, 585-595. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12212

Compton, R.J., *Hofheimer, J., & *Kazinka, R., *Levinson, A., & *Zheutlin, A. (2013). Alpha suppression following performance errors is correlated with depression, affect, and coping behaviors. Emotion, 13, 905-914. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032739

Compton, R.J., *Hofheimer, J., & *Kazinka, R. (2013). Stress regulation and cognitive control: Evidence relating cortisol reactivity and neural responses to errors. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience, 13, 152-163. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-012-0126-6

Compton, R.J., *Huber, E., *Levinson, A.R., & *Zheutlin, A. (2012). Is “conflict adaptation” driven by conflict? Behavioral and EEG evidence for the underappreciated role of congruent trials.  Psychophysiology, 49, 583-589. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2012.01354.x

*Kim, B.-R., *Liss, A., *Rao, M., *Singer, Z., & Compton, R.J. (2012). Social deviance activates the brain’s error-monitoring system. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience, 12, 65-73. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-011-0067-5

Compton, R.J., *Arnstein, D., *Freedman, G., *Dainer-Best, J., *Liss, A., & Robinson, M.D. (2011). Neural and behavioral measures of error-related cognitive control predict daily coping with stress. Emotion, 11, 379-390. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021776

Compton, R.J., *Arnstein, D., *Freedman, G., *Dainer-Best, J., & *Liss, A.  (2011). Cognitive control in the inter-trial interval: Evidence from EEG alpha power. Psychophysiology, 48, 583-590. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2010.01124.x

*Arnstein, D., *Lakey, B., Compton, R.J., & Kleinow, J. (2011). Preverbal error-monitoring in stutterers and fluent speakers. Brain and Language, 116, 105-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandl.2010.12.005

Compton, R.J., *Dainer-Best, J., *Fineman, S.L., *Freedman, G., *Mutso, A., & *Rohwer, J. (2010). Anxiety and expectancy violations: Neural response to false feedback is exaggerated in worriers. Cognition and Emotion, 24, 465-479. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930802696856

*Carp, J., & Compton, R.J. (2009). Alpha power is influenced by performance errors. Psychophysiology, 46, 336-343. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2008.00773.x

*Carp, J., *Halenar, M., *Quandt, L.C., *Sklar, A., & Compton, R.J. (2009). Perceived similarity and neural mirroring: Evidence from vicarious error processing. Social Neuroscience, 4, 85-96. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470910802083167

Compton, R.J., Robinson, M.D., Ode, S., *Quandt, L.C., *Fineman, S.L., & *Carp, J. (2008). Error-monitoring ability predicts daily stress regulation. Psychological Science, 19, 702-708. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02145.x

Compton, R.J., *Lin, M., *Vargas, G., *Carp, J., *Fineman, S., & *Quandt, L.C.  (2008). Error detection and post-error behavior in depressed undergraduates.  Emotion, 8, 58-67. DOI: 10.1037/1528-3542.8.1.58 

Compton, R.J., *Carp, J., *Chaddock, L., *Fineman, S.L., *Quandt, L.C., & *Ratliff, J.B. (2008). Trouble crossing the bridge: Altered interhemispheric communication of emotional images in anxiety. Emotion, 8, 684-692. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0012910

Compton, R.J., *Carp, J., *Chaddock, L., *Fineman, S.L., *Quandt, L.C., & *Ratliff, J.B. (2007).  Error-monitoring in anxiety: Increased error-sensitivity or altered expectations?  Brain and Cognition, 64, 247-256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2007.03.006

Robinson, M.D., & Compton, R.J.  (2006). Motivating the spotlight: The lateralizing effects of emotional arousal. Social Cognition, 24, 291-317.

Compton, R.J., *Feigenson, K., & *Widick, P.  (2005). Take it to the bridge: An interhemispheric processing advantage for emotional faces. Cognitive Brain Research, 24, 66-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2004.12.002

Compton, R.J., *Wilson, K., & *Wolf, K. (2004). Mind the gap: Interhemispheric communication about emotional faces. Emotion, 4(3), 219-232. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.4.3.219

Compton, R.J., Wirtz, D., Pajoumand, G., Claus, E., & Heller, W. (2004). Association between positive affect and attentional shifting. Cognitive Therapy and Research 28(6), 733-744. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10608-004-0663-6.

Compton, R.J., *Costello, C., & *Diepold, J. (2004). Interhemispheric integration during the menstrual cycle: Failure to confirm progesterone-mediated interhemispheric decoupling. Neuropsychologia, 42(11), 1496-1503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2004.03.006

Compton, R.J., Banich, M.T., Mohanty, A., Milham, M.P., Herrington, J., Miller, G.A., Scalf, P., Webb, A., & Heller, W. (2003). Paying attention to emotion: An fMRI investigation of cognitive and emotional Stroop tasks. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience, 3, 81-96.

Compton, R.J. (2003). The interface between emotion and attention: A review of evidence from psychology and neuroscience. Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews, 2, 115-129. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534582303002002003

Weissman, D.H., & Compton, R.J. (2003). Practice makes a hemisphere perfect: The advantage of interhemispheric recruitment is eliminated with practice. Laterality, 8, 361-375. https://doi.org/10.1080/13576500342000103a

Compton, R.J., *Fisher, L.R., *Koenig, L.M., *McKeown, R., & **Muñoz, K. (2003). Relationship between coping styles and hemispheric asymmetry. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 1069-1078. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.5.1069

Compton, R.J., *Wilson, K., & *Wolf, K. (2003). When two hemispheres are not better than one: Effects of worry on interhemispheric processing. Brain and Cognition, 51, 213-215. DOI: 10.1016/S0278-2626(02)00541-9

*Osorio, L.C., *Cohen, M., *Escobar, S.E., *Salkowski-Bartlett, A., & Compton, R.J. (2003). Selective attention to stressful distractors: Effects of neuroticism and gender. Personality and Individual Differences, 34/5, 831-844. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(02)00074-0

Compton, R.J. (2002). Interhemispheric interaction facilitates face processing. Neuropsychologia, 40, 2409-2419. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0028-3932(02)00078-7

Compton, R.J., & Weissman, D.H. (2002). Hemispheric asymmetries in global-local perception: Effects of individual differences in neuroticism. Laterality, 7, 333-350.

Compton, R.J., Williamson, S., Murphy, S.G., & Heller, W. (2002). Hemispheric differences in affective response: Effects of mere exposure. Social Cognition, 20, 1-17.

Compton, R.J., & *Mintzer, D.A. (2001). Effects of worry and evaluation stress on interhemispheric interaction. Neuropsychology, 15, 427-433.

Compton, R.J. (2000). Ability to disengage attention predicts negative affect. Cognition and Emotion, 14, 401-415.

Compton, R.J., Heller, W., Banich, M.T., Palmieri, P.A. & Miller, G.A. (2000). Responding to threat: Effects of hemispheric asymmetry and interhemispheric division of input. Neuropsychology, 14, 254-264.

Compton, R.J. (1999). Manipulating attentional asymmetry affects self-reported arousal. Neuropsychology, 13, 128-134.

Compton, R.J., & Levine, S.C. (1997). Menstrual cycle phase and mood effects on perceptual asymmetry. Brain and Cognition, 35, 168-183.

*Haverford undergraduate

*Shudrenko, D., & Compton, R.J. (October 2025). Distinguishing neural correlates of intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety. Society for Psychophysiological Research, Montreal.

Lynch, A., Compton, R.J., *Frost, C., *Mikulis, T., & *Shudrenko, D. (April 2025). Using EEG to explore brainwave activity during focused interoception awareness experiments. Presented at American Occupational Therapy Association annual meeting, Philadelphia.

*Shudrenko, D., *Ng, E., *Mann, K., *Turdukulov, E., & Compton, R.J. (October 2024). Adversity and error-monitoring: Effects of emotional context. Presented at Society for Neuroscience annual meeting, Chicago.

Compton, R.J., *Jaskir, M., & *Mu, J. (May 2020). Effects of post-error arousal on cognitive control: Adaptive or maladaptive? Cognitive Neuroscience Society annual meeting. [online due to Covid-19]

*Robinson, H., *Sheen, E., *Sliwinksi, R., & Compton, R.J. (September 2019). Find the silver lining or ignore the cloud? Differences in emotion regulation strategies in depression. Society for Psychophysiological Research annual meeting, Washington, DC.

Compton, R.J., *Heaton, E., & *Gaines, A. (November 2017). Is attention enhanced following performance errors? A test of adaptive control. Society for Neuroscience annual meeting, Washington, D.C.

Compton, R.J., *Heaton, E., & *Ozer, E. (September 2016). A “Goldilocks effect” in trial timing: Performance and neural indices of self-monitoring depend on the inter-trial interval duration. Society for Psychophysiological Research annual meeting, Minneapolis.

*Bing-Canar, H., *Pizzuto, J., & Compton, R. (October 2015). Mindfulness-of-breathing exercise affects EEG alpha-power measures of self-monitoring. Society for Neuroscience annual meeting, Chicago.

Compton, R.J. (September 2014). Error-related alpha suppression: An arousal response to mistakes? Society for Psychophysiological Research annual meeting, Atlanta.

*Dix, E., *Kim, K., *Ramos, L., *Vega, C., & Compton, R.J. (January 2013). Neural responses to potential racial bias: An expanded Weapons Identification Task. Society for Personality and Social Psychology annual meeting, New Orleans.

Compton, R.J., *Hofheimer, J., & *Kazinka, R. (September 2012). Error-related cognitive control predicts cortisol regulation in control but not depressed samples. Society for Psychophysiological Research annual meeting, New Orleans.

Compton, R.J., *Hofheimer, J., *Kazinka, R., *Levinson, A.R., & *Zheutlin, A. (April 2012).  Post-error alpha suppression predicts anhedonic depression and reduced daily reports of positive emotion and active coping. Cognitive Neuroscience Society annual meeting, Chicago.

*Amen, A., *Dodd, J., *Fineman, S.L., & Compton, R.J. (October 2008). Individual differences in cognitive control are associated with cortisol reactivity. Society for Psychophysiological Research annual meeting, Austin.

Kim, H., Schulz, M.S., Compton, R.J., & Miller, M.S. (November 2007). Relationships among mindfulness, rumination, and EEG asymmetries. Association for Behavior and Cognitive Therapies Annual Meeting, Philadelphia.

*Carp, J., *Halenar, M., *Quandt, L.C., *Sklar, A., & Compton, R.J.  (October 2007). Interpersonal similarity modulates observational error processing. Society for Psychophysiological Research annual meeting, Savannah.

*Carp, J., & Compton, R.J. (October 2007). Alpha desynchronization and cognitive control: Sensitivity of prestimulus alpha to prior and subsequent behavior. Society for Psychophysiological Research annual meeting, Savannah.

Compton, R.J., *Carp, J., *Chaddock, L., *Fineman, S.L., *Quandt, L.C., & *Ratliff, J.B (May 2007). Error-monitoring in anxiety:  Increased error sensitivity or altered expectations? Cognitive Neuroscience Society annual meeting, New York.

Compton, R.J., *Feigenson, K., & *Ebendorf, B. (April 2005). Efficiency of interhemispheric interaction predicts cognitive performance. Cognitive Neuroscience annual meeting, New York.

Compton, R.J., *Feigenson, K., & *Widick, P. (April 2004). Take it to the bridge: An interhemispheric processing advantage for emotional faces. Cognitive Neuroscience Society annual meeting, San Francisco.

Compton, R.J., & *Ocampo, R.P. (November 2003). The relationship between rumination and task-switching. Psychonomic Society 44th Annual Meeting, Vancouver.

Compton, R., *Wilson, K., *Wolf, K., & *Diepold, J. (February 2003). Worry and evaluation influence the interhemispheric processing of emotional faces. International Neuropsychological Society 31st Annual Meeting, Honolulu.

Compton, R.J., *Wilson, K., & *Wolf, K. (March 2002). When two hemispheres aren't better than one: Effects of worry on interhemispheric processing. Rotman Research Institute Conference on Emotion and the Brain, Toronto.

Compton, R., **Fisher, L., **Koenig, L., **McKeown, R., & **Muñoz, K. (February 2002). Relationship between coping styles and hemispheric asymmetry [abstract]. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 8(2), 238. Presented at the 30th Annual Meeting, Toronto.

Compton, R.J. & **Mintzer, D.A. (February 2001). Effects of worry and evaluation stress on interhemispheric interaction [abstract]. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 7(2), 224. Presented at the 29th Annual Meeting, Chicago.

Heller, W., Banich, M.T., Herrington, J.D., Mohanty, A., Fisher, J.E., Jacobson, B.L., Scalf, P., Erickson, K.I., Koven, N.S., Compton, R.J., & Miller, G.A. (November 2000). Differential brain activation in response to positive and threat stimuli in an emotional Stroop paradigm. Society for Research in Psychopathology annual meeting, Boulder.

Compton, R.J., Banich, M.T., Milham, M.P., Heller, W., Miller, G.A., Scalf, P., Webb, A., Cohen, N.J., Wszalek, T.M., Kramer, A.F. (April 2000). Paying attention to emotion: An fMRI investigation [abstract]. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience Supplement, 54. Cognitive Neuroscience Society annual meeting, San Francisco.

Heller, W., Compton, R.J., Milham, M.P. , Banich, M.T., Nitschke, J.B., Etienne, M.A. & Miller, G.A. (November 1999). Cognition/emotion relationships in depression and anxiety. Society for Research in Psychopathology annual meeting, Montreal.

Compton, R.J., Heller, W., Banich, M.T., Palmieri, P.A., & Miller, G.A. (February 1999). Responding to Threat: Hemispheric Asymmetries and Interhemispheric Processing. 27th Annual Meeting of the International Neuropsychological Society, Boston.

Compton, R.J. & Levine, S.C. (June 1996). Mood and perceptual asymmetry during the menstrual cycle [abstract]. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , 2(3), 200. 19th Annual Mid-Year European Meeting, Veldhoven, The Netherlands.

Christensen, C.A., Compton, R.J., & Drake, K.J. (November 1991). Behavioral and event-related potential indicators of aging in women [abstract]. Abstracts-Society for Neuroscience, 17 (pt.1), 656. Presented at 21st Annual Meeting, New Orleans.

Banich, M.T., & Compton, R.J. (2023). Cognitive Neuroscience, 5th ed. Cambridge University Press. [4th ed., 2018; 3rd ed., 2011]

Compton, R.J. (2016). Adoption Beyond Borders: How International Adoption Benefits Children. Oxford University Press.

(partial list)

Strategic Curriculum and Personnel Committee, 2024-2025

Neuroscience Program Director, 2021-2023 

Psychology Department Chair, 2008-2012; 2020-2021

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee Chair, 2016-2020, 2025-present

Neuroscience Minor Coordinator, 2010-2015, 2019-2020

Academic Council (tenure and promotions committee; elected), 2012-2014

Alternate Academic Council, 2020-2022

Appeals Committee, 2019-2022

Pre-Health Advising Committee, 2016-2023

Institutional Review Board Member, 2008-2009; 2011-2012