Self, Health & Emotion Lab

Primary Investigator

Dr. John Updegraff is an Assistant Professor of Social/Health Psychology.  He earned his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and completed an NIMH-funded postdoctoral position at University of California, Irvine.

Dr. Updegraff's published his work in top-tier journals including Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Health Psychology, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, and Psychological Review, and has received funding from the National Cancer Institute for his work.  Dr. Updegraff also serves on the Editorial Board for Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Curriculum Vita

In his spare time, Dr. Updegraff plays guitar for Wire Mother, the only best all-psychology faculty band in Northeast Ohio.

Graduate Students

Amber Emanuel is a 1st year experimental graduate student in the social-health program.   Amber comes to KSU from the masters program at American University in Washington DC, and completed her undergraduate work at Elizabethtown College.  Amber is interested in understanding the role of mindfulness in affective forecasting.

Kristel Gallagher is a 1st year experimental graduate student in the social-health program.  Originally from Toronto, Kristel comes to KSU after earning her bachelors at Waynesburg College, where she played 4yrs of varsity softball.  She's an avid runner, and watches, lives, and breathes hockey - especially the Toronto Maple Leafs.  She is interested in message framing, health-related persuasion and health behavior change. 

Christina Hill is a 4th year clinical graduate student who did her undergraduate work at the University of Georgia.  Christina is interested in understanding the role of mindfulness in emotion regulation and emotional variability in clinical disorders such as borderline personality disorder.

Undergraduate Students

Athena Boone, Danielle Graham, David Kalmbach, Chelsea Kociuba, Rachel Noles, Cody Polack, Jacob Roope, Kristy Soloski, Kylan Ward

Lab Alumni

Faith Luyster, Ph.D. - Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Giovanni Garofalo, M.A. - University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Vanessa Potter, B.A. - Project Coordinator, SUMMA Health Systems of Akron