Overview

In the Developmental Cognitive Affective Psychophysiology (DCAP) laboratory, we use electroencephalography (EEG) to examine the neural correlates underlying various self-regulation strategies. In our lives, moment-to-moment we apply many different self-regulatory strategies. For example, when someone flicks a cigarette butt (or other garbage) out of their car window, we might need to apply inhibitory control to prevent ourselves from honking angrily at them. At another time, we might be on a diet while grocery shopping. Keeping in mind that we are avoiding high-calorie food while shopping requires proactive control (actively maintaining the information in working memory), a very different self-regulatory strategy than inhibitory control. In order to effectively navigate our complicated lives, we need to apply many different self-regulatory strategies. In the DCAP lab, we develop or modify behavioral tasks that elicit specific self-regulation strategies. We ask participants to play these games while we collect dense-array EEG data. Data is then processed to generate specific event-related potentials (ERPs) that are related to self-regulation, such as the N2. We are interested in understanding how factors, such as emotion and aging, impact patterns of neural activation (ERPs) underlying our ability to self-regulate. 

Current Projects

Currently, we are running two studies in the lab.
 
1) We are having participants play several self-regulatory tasks to elicit four different self-regulation strategies. This is a proof of concept study to determine if we can use patterns of neural activation underlying various self-regulation strategies to categorize participants.
 
2) Using a cued reaction time task with immediate performance feedback, we are exploring the neural correlates underlying prediction errors and if these patterns of neural activation are associated with dopamine polymorphisms. Specifically, we are exploring if the feedback-related negativity, an ERP associated with feedback salience and valence, and mediofrontal theta oscillation are associated with DRD2, DRD4, and DAT1 polymorphisms.

People in the Lab

Connie Lamm

Dr. Connie Lamm completed her PhD at the University of Toronto in 2008. After completing her Post-Doctoral work with Drs. Nathan Fox and Danny Pine in 2012, she moved to the University of New Orleans as a tenure-track faculty. In 2016, she moved the DCAP lab to the University of Arkansas, in Fayetteville. She continues to explore the neural correlates underlying various self-regulation strategies with the goal of eventually using this method to categorize individuals showing aggressive behavior problems (across the life span) by the neural mechanisms that contribute to this behavior. On a personal level, she enjoys outdoor activities, such as riding her horse, kayaking, biking, and hiking.

Stephanie Long

Stephanie is a PhD student studying cognitive neuroscience, statistics, and data analytics. Her research interests lie in understanding how humans process and interact with the world through self-regulation using electroencephalography (EEG).

Eric Rawls

Eric is a doctoral candidate expecting to complete his degree in the summer of 2019. His research focuses on the application of EEG signal processing and computational methods, including event-related potential (ERP), time-frequency EEG analysis, single trial correlation and regression analysis, and neurophysiologically plausible single neuron and neural network modeling. His dissertation research uses EEG in combination with genetic analysis in order to examine theories linking dopamine neurotransmission and cortical brain activity to computational reinforcement learning principles. His integrative neuroscience approach combined with advanced computational methodologies may provide information about functional dynamic networks underlying human cognitive experiences, such as reinforcement learning (Rawls, Miskovic, Lee, Shirtcliff, & Lamm, under revision), emotion, and conflict (Rawls & Lamm, in preparation). When not doing brain research, he enjoys running long distances, backpack, and playing with his pet kitties.

Morgan Middlebrooks

Morgan is a first-year student in the experimental psychology program. Her background is in clinical EEG, a skill she hopes will transfer to work in the DCAP lab. She is interested in the neural correlates of aggression and social emotions.

Arooj Abid

Arooj Abid is a Clinical Psychology PhD student with a background in probing neural correlates associated with attention and emotion. Her research interests are in behavioral and neural relationships between emotional regulation and attentional capacity as well as the implementation of cognitive training in alleviating clinical symptoms for trauma-related disorders.

 

Recent Publications

*Rawls, E., Miskovic, V., Moody, S., Lee, Y., Shirtcliff, E., & Lamm, C.(revise-and-resubmit).
Feedback-related negativity and frontal midline theta reflect dissociable processing of salience and unexpectedness during reinforcement. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience
*Rawls, E., Jabr, M., Moody, S. N., &Lamm, C. (2018). Neural Mechanisms Underlying the
link Between Effortful Control and Aggression: An ERP Study.Neuropsychologia, 117,302-310.
Lamm, C., Troller-Renfree, S., Zeanah, C. H., Nelson, C. A., & Fox, N. A. (2018). Impact of
early institutionalization on attention mechanisms underlying the inhibition of a planned action.Neuropsychologia, 117,339-346.
*Denke, G., Rawls, E., &Lamm, C.(2018). Attentional processes contributing to emotional-eating behavior.Frontiers of Human
Neuroscience,12,1-9.
*Jabr, M., Denke, G., Rawls, E., &Lamm, C. (2018). The roles of selective attention, disinhibition, and desensitization in the
association between video game play and aggression: An ERP investigation. Neuropsychologia, 112,50-57.
 
(* Student first-authored papers from Lamm lab data)