I study the neurobiological foundations of individual differences in temperament and character. I then leverage these insights to design interventions to promote character development and personal growth.
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My research examines…
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Individual Differences
The neurobiological basis of individual differences.
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Character Development
How to promote positive character virtues like curiosity, creativity and intellectual humility.
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Positive Mental Health
Downstream benefits on psychological and physical flourishing.
Recent Media Features
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Master the Art of Daydreaming
The New York Times
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When is a wandering mind unhappy?
APA Showcase
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UCSB Researchers Develop Curiosity-Building App
Santa Barbara Independent
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Scientists reveal a fascinating neurocognitive trait linked to heightened creativity
PsyPost
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How to become a more curious person, according to new research
The Current
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The Unexpected Joys of Volitional Personality Change
Psychology Today
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Can You Be Truly Happy Without a Sense of Purpose?
Psychology Today
RECENT AND UPCOMING EVENTS
RECENT AND UPCOMING EVENTS
November, 2025
October 14, 2025
September 17, 2025
From states to traits: Personality-level changes in curiosity via ecological micro-interventions. Invited talk at Psychonomic Society’s 2025 66th Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado.
The Science Behind Wonder
Profs in the Pub, UCSB speaker series
Curiosity and Healthy Aging
A Resident Medical Community (RMC) presentation, see event info here.
Casa Dorinda Retirment Community
July 31, 2025
Cultivating Deeper Curiosity
In conversation with Jennifer Rudolph Walsh Hosted by Rosewood x Godmothers
Tickets available through EventBrite
July 22-23, 2025
Finding Wonder in the Everyday.
Vaster Than Empires III: What Will Life Become?: An Exclusive Creative Retreat for Screenwriters.
Hosted by The Berggruen Institute
July 10, 2025
Expanding the aperture of awareness: Salience processing and the creative mind. Invited talk at the 31st Annual TSC Conference, Barcelona, Spain.
June 24, 2025
Atypical salience in creativity: A novel framework for describing individual differences in creative cognition. In David Clark (Chair), Personality Manifestations in Diverse Settings. Invited talk at the ARP 2025 Biennial Conference, Evanston, IL.
