I study the the role of narrative in self and emotion regulation from childhood through late life. I'm especially interested in issues of how children and adults integrate experiences within their sense of self via narrating, and how listeners (parents, friends, and romantic partners) can help to shape stories towards more adaptive emotional and self-related outcomes. In my recent work, I have been pursuing these issues within the specific context of interpersonal conflict and harm, and have begun to include psychophysiological methods as a complement to narrative, observational, and experimental work. Much of this work is done in collaboration with Cecilia Wainryb, here at the University of Utah; I also have long-standing collaborations with Kate McLean, at Western Washington University.
