We investigate how cognition manifests in, and is influenced by, the social contexts in which it occurs. Using a social-interactionist approach, we investigate how processes carried out by the cognitive system impact outcomes that characterize communities of individuals: from small groups to larger social networks. We have focused on understanding the formation of collective memories, the dynamics of collective beliefs, and the synchronization of collective emotions as psychologically grounded, interactively constructed, and dynamic phenomena. Our new directions take advantage of advanced technologies and complex datasets to study moral tipping points in social networks and socially constructed value in blockchain systems.

Our lab uses a collection of modern software tools to create experiments and analyze data, such as: