Current Projects
Mapping out Prosocial Profiles
Prosocial behavior includes a broad variety of actions, such as helping others financially, physically, emotionally, privately vs. in front of others, in response to a need in the moment or regularly across time, and so on. Our team is currently investigating whether there are different profiles of prosocial behavior--such as "the therapist friend," "the activist," and "the donor"--as well as the motives and outcomes associated with each type of behavior. This project involves several studies, including secondary data analyses, interviews, and a broader quantitative study.
Promoting Prosociality
Our team is engaged in work designed to encourage habitual prosocial behavior and well-being, including online interventions and community-based programs.
Measuring Prosociality
We have multiple projects aimed at developing and validating measures of prosociality, including a measure of prosocial behavioral intentions and of past prosocial behavior and prosocial identity.
Supporting College Students' Psychological Well-being
There is a robust literature on teaching practices that support college students' learning and retention, but few students have investigated how to support their psychological well-being (e.g., positive affect, sense of connectedness, sense of meaning). We are currently conducting research to fill this gap, including qualitative research on understanding students' perspectives on which practices they find to be supportive.
Featured Student Project:
Testing the Dual Effects of Journaling and Meditation on Psychological Well-being
Project description:
Positive interventions are increasingly recognized for their role in enhancing happiness and mental well-being (Carr et al., 2023). However, research suggests that interventions can be especially effective when combined to create a more comprehensive approach (Taylor et al., 2020). This study implemented a dual-component positive intervention through the daily online practice of guided meditation and journaling. While it examined the effectiveness of a dual-component intervention compared to a single-component approach, it also evaluated the impact of journaling and meditation on participants' mental health, stress levels, emotional regulation, and mindfulness.
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Project team:
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Melissa Armenta (co-PI)
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Natalie Khoury (co-PI)
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Raphael Solano​
Links to project documents: