SPLAT Lab
General Project Information
Lab Name: Shiota Psychophysiology Laboratory for Affective Testing (SPLAT Lab), Arizona State University
Project Duration: September 2021 – May 2023
Research Focus: Human emotion, with an emphasis on positive emotions, emotional processes in close relationships, and behavioral mechanisms of health behavior change.
Project Overview
During my time as a Lab Research Assistant at the SPLAT Lab, I contributed to research examining the underlying nature and implications of human emotions, focusing on themes such as positive emotions, emotional processes in close relationships, and mechanisms of behavior change. My primary responsibility involved data collection for studies, including a project on personal memory where participants were invited to recall and share emotionally significant memories. My role required me to work directly with participants, guiding them through each experimental session to ensure clarity and comfort, and accurately collecting data for further analysis.
In this role, I conducted pre-experiment orientations, explaining study procedures to participants and addressing any questions to facilitate a smooth research process. I was also responsible for maintaining a controlled environment within the lab, preparing materials, and ensuring adherence to ethical standards and protocols. Through this work, I gained hands-on experience with psychophysiological and behavioral research methods, contributing to projects that aim to understand how positive emotions and social interactions can promote mental and physical well-being.
Significance
The SPLAT Lab’s research holds significant value in understanding how emotions impact human behavior on both an individual and societal level. By examining emotions through multiple lenses, including psychophysiological responses, the lab’s work aims to develop insights into how people experience and regulate emotions, particularly in social and health contexts. My contribution to these studies, especially through direct participant engagement, provided valuable data that supported the lab’s broader research goals and enhanced my practical skills in experimental psychology.
Research Themes
Positive Emotions: Investigating the role of specific positive emotions, such as awe and amusement, in influencing subjective experiences and social cognition.
Emotional Processes in Close Relationships: Understanding how emotions support relationships and contribute to social bonding and emotional regulation in stressful situations.
Emotional Mechanisms of Behavior Change: Exploring how emotional regulation techniques and emotional understanding can promote healthier behaviors, particularly in preventing stress-related habits like poor diet and substance use.
Impact and Personal Growth
Working in the SPLAT Lab allowed me to develop critical skills in participant interaction, data collection, and psychophysiological research methods. By contributing to studies on emotion and behavior, I gained a deep appreciation for the complexities of emotional research and its potential to inform practices that promote mental and physical health. This experience has greatly enriched my understanding of how structured research and direct participant engagement can drive meaningful insights in psychology and behavioral science.