Our research focuses mainly on the mental processes that shape and are shaped by human interaction. A special interest of the lab is the tactile dimension of social exchanges and the importance of touch for both current positive affect and long-term health. We use a range of research methods that assess online brain activity such as electroencephalography (EEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging, and optical imaging. Additionally, we rely on other psychophysiological (e.g., heart rate) as well as behavioral tools (e.g., eye tracking, reaction times) to shed light on the functioning of the human brain.

To examine how humans perceive and represent gentle caress, we have developed a tactile stimulation device that enables us to present any tactile trajectory to a participant's skin and to accurately measure the onset of touching such that the stimulation can be time-locked with other aspects of an experiment such as the recording of the EEG. Please watch the following video for more information.

What feels good? Research has uncovered a special tactile receptor called the C-tactile afferent. This receptor exists in the hairy skin of both humans and non-human animals. Its response properties appear to be tuned specifically to touch from conspecifics - such as its typical velocity and temperature. We are interested in extending this literature by better describing the kind of touch that humans exchange and exploring how its properties map onto perceived touch pleasantness.

Can we entrain social perception? Social perception, or more specifically the ability to infer another’s emotions and behavioral intentions from subtle nonverbal signals, is a critical determinant of success in life. However, a number of clinical conditions (e.g., autism, schizophrenia) exist that impair social perception and for which successful nonpharmacological treatments are still lacking. Therefore, we pursue a novel approach to enhancing social perception. Specifically, we aim to explore whether and how rhythmic entrainment might benefit sensitivity to emotional expression. Entrainment often occurs naturally when two people interact and converge on a common interactional rhythm. It also occurs to non-interactional rhythms such as a train of notes. Possibly, non-interactional rhythms could be used to facilitate interactional processes.