The Emotion Development Lab

Dr. Kristin Buss is Professor of Psychology and Human Development & Family Studies at Penn State University and also the Director of the Emotion Development Lab. She is interested in children’s emotional and social development. Her studies often focus on how early emotional experiences shape later development.

My research examines psychological factors that contribute to emotional well-being across the lifespan. By integrating neurocognitive, physiological, and behavioral techniques, I aim to gain insight into the complex processes that underlie risk and resilience throughout development. One current line of research uses this multi-method approach to investigate social context-sensitive biological signatures of emotion regulation flexibility in development.

Dr. Michelle Ramos received her Ph.D. in Developmental Science from Florida International University in 2021 under the mentorship of the late Dr. Bethany Reeb-Sutherland and Dr. Erica Musser. Her dissertation focused on understanding the development of risky behavior during adolescence by examining individual differences in reward- and control-related factors across multiple levels of analysis (i.e., behavioral, central, and peripheral nervous systems). Her dissertation explored these domains via EEG-linked neural activity (i.e, the FRN and N2, respectively), peripheral autonomic indexes of self-regulation (i.e., RSA) as well as performance-based indices of inhibitory control in relation to risk-taking behavior (reported and performance-based). She has also done work investigating brain-related changes in youth (ages 8-17) with and without anxiety following attention bias modification training (ABMT). Michelle has also examined neural correlates of error-monitoring (i.e., ERN) and how individual differences in attentional control (shifting and focusing attention) may help in reducing levels of anxiety. Moving forward she hopes to bridge her two lines of research to better understand how differences in the development of control-related processes may influence later risk-taking behavior.

Stacey LeVan joined the Emotion Development Lab in 2019 as a Lab Manager. Stacey is a Penn State graduate with a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies with an emphasis on Adolescent Development. She received her M.Ed. in Higher Education in 2022. Prior research experience includes multiple projects on School Readiness under Dr. Karen Bierman. Her research interests include First Generation College Students.

Bridget Cahill joined the Emotion Development Lab in 2022 as a project coordinator after receiving a B.A. in psychology from the University of Delaware. Her prior research experience includes working as a research assistant at the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up lab which studies attachment between caregiver and infant dyads who experienced early adversity and tests the efficacy of a sensitive parenting intervention. Bridget’s current research interests include examining the effects of social media on adolescents’ mental health, especially social anxiety, and self-esteem. She hopes to pursue a PhD in clinical or counseling psychology in the future.

Tatum Gramly joined the Emotion Development Lab in 2023 as a research data manager. She graduated from Juniata College in 2022 with a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Psychology, and is currently back at Juniata pursuing her master’s in Bioinformatics. Her prior research experience includes work on the Healthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study. Her current research interests include epigenetics, the underlying biological influences on adolescent development and psychopathology, and the development and implementation of data pipelines. In her free time, Tatum enjoys watching soccer and painting.

Alina Hoff joined the Emotion Development Lab in 2023 as a project coordinator after receiving a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology from Arizona State University. Her prior research experience includes working as a research assistant in the Adolescent Stress and Emotion Lab and the Arizona Twin Project. Her research interests focus on the intersection of psychophysiology, wearable technology, and health outcomes, examining how physiological stress and internalizing symptoms (e.g., anxiety) affect sleep, emotion regulation, and cardiometabolic health in adolescents and young adults. In her free time, Alina enjoys running and making obscure Spotify playlists.

Justin Wortman joined the Emotion Development Lab as a research assistant in 2024. Justin graduated from Penn State in 2023 with a B.S. in Psychology. His prior research experience includes working as a research assistant in the Laboratory of Developmental Neuroscience, where he worked under Dr. Suzy Scherf on the SAGA project, which focused on visual communication skills in adolescents with autism. His research interests include eye-tracking, and he hopes to pursue a PhD through the military.

Lauren graduated in May 2022 at Penn State University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Rehabilitation and Human Services. She started with the Emotion Development Lab as an undergrad research assistant in the spring of 2020. Lauren was a part of the touring organization, Lion Scouts, and the Operations Committee for THON. Lauren is currently in graduate school working on her Ph.D. in school psychology. She hopes to pursue a career as a school psychologist. During her free time, Lauren likes to watch TV, embroider, and hang out with friends.