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Michelle Shiota

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Psychology
Associate Professor
Faculty, TEMPE Campus, Mailcode 1104
Biography

Michelle "Lani" Shiota is an associate professor of social psychology at Arizona State University. Her studies of positive emotions, emotion regulation, and emotional mechanisms of close relationships use multiple methods including cardiovascular, electrodermal, and EEG measures, behavioral coding, cognitive tasks, and narrative analysis as well as self-reports. Dr. Shiota's research has been funded by National Institutes of Health and the John Templeton Foundation, and published in high-impact journals including: Emotion, JPSP, Cognition and Emotion, Psychology and Aging, and American Psychologist. She is lead author of the textbook "Emotion" (Oxford), and co-editor of the "Handbook of Positive Emotions" (Guilford). She is currently on the Board of Directors for the Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR), as well as an elected fellow of the Association for Psychological Science (APS), and member of the Society for Experimental Social Psychology (SESP). She received her bachelor's in communication from Stanford University, and her doctorate in social/personality psychology from University of California at Berkeley. Shiota joined the social psychology faculty at ASU in 2006, establishing the Shiota Psychophysiology Laboratory for Affective Testing (a.k.a. SPLAT Lab).

CV
Binary Data Curriculum Vitae
Education
  • Ph.D. Social/Personality Psychology, University of California-Berkeley 2003
  • B.A. Communications, Stanford University, 1994

 

Research Interests

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK OUT THE SHIOTA PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY LAB (SPLAT LAB) WEB PAGE

My lab investigates several basic questions regarding emotion, using a multi-method approach that integrates physiological, behavioral, cognitive, narrative, and questionnaire measures of emotional experience and its implications for social interaction. Core themes of this research are:

POSITIVE EMOTION DIFFERENTIATION. Emotion researchers have long distinguished among several functionally distinct negative emotions, such as sadness, fear, and anger, but empirical research on potentially "discrete" positive emotions is more recent. My lab takes an evolutionary approach to defining multiple positive emotion constructs, and studies the extent of overlap and differentiation among these states. We use the proposed adaptive functions of each emotion as a basis for predicting various aspects of emotional responding, including profiles of autonomic nervous system reactivity, facial expressions, and implications for social cognition and behavior. 

AWE. A rich body of research suggests that positive emotions tend to increase our use of internal knowledge structures, such as stereotypes, heuristics, and schemas, in processing new information from the environment. Functional theories of awe, however, propose that this emotion has the opposite effect. Awe has been defined as the positive emotion one may experience when facing a stimulus that is vast or extraordinary, insufficiently accounted for by one's current knowledge. Awe should thus promote cognitive and behavioral changes that facilitate taking in new information from the environment, or cognitive "accommodation," rather than relying on what one already knows to interpret the situation (cognitive "assimilation"). Our current research on awe addresses implications of this emotion state for "executive" cognitive functioning and for behavior. 

EMOTION REGULATION. One of the great features of human psychology is the capacity to regulate our emotions - to use our attention and our thoughts to alter our feelings, and to control the way we express feelings to others. We regulate emotions using a wide range of strategies, some of which are more conducive to health and well-being than others. My lab is particularly interested in the use of positive emotions to regulate emotional experience in stressful or upsetting situations. Specific strategies include positive reppraisal, or thinking about positive aspects of upsetting situations as well as the negative aspects, and creating positive events, or making time for islands of healthy enjoyment in the midst of an ongoing stressor. We are also interested in the ways that people help each other to regulate their emotions - the co-regulation of emotion.

EMOTIONAL PROCESSES IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS. Emotions are profoundly important for our interactions with other people. We form impressions of new people, build and maintain close relationships, and coordinate dyadic and group action all with the help of emotions. We investigate some of the mechanisms by which emotions support close relationships, including new friendships, long-standing friendships, and intimacy in romantic relationships and marriage.

We review applications for new volunteer research assistants each semester, and I will review graduate student applications for Fall 2018.

Publications

* Student/post-doc co-author

  • Shiota, M. N., Campos, B., Oveis, C., Hertenstein, M., Simon-Thomas, E., & Keltner, D. (2017). Beyond happiness: Toward a science of discrete positive emotions. American Psychologist, 72(7), 617-643.
  • *Danvers, A. F., & Shiota, M. N. (2017). Going off script: Effects of awe on memory for script-typical and –irrelevant narrative detail. Emotion, 17(6), 938-952.
  • Shiota, M. N. (2017). The Science of Positive Emotion: You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby/There’s Still a Long Way To Go. Emotion Review, 9(3), 235-237.
  • McRae, K., & Shiota, M. N. (2017). Biological and physiological aspects of emotion regulation. In C. A. Essau, S. LePlant, & T. H. Hollendick (Eds.), Emotion Regulation and Psychopathology in Children and Adolescents (pp. 43-59). New York, NY: Oxford.
  • Shiota, M. N., *Yee, C. I., *O’Neil, M. J., & *Danvers, A. F. (2017). Positive Emotions. In M. A. Warren & S. J. Donaldson (Eds.), Scientific Advances in Positive Psychology (pp. 37-72). Westport, CT: Praeger.
  • *Danvers, A. F., *O’Neil, M. J., & Shiota, M. N. (2016). The mind of the “happy warrior”: Eudaimonia, awe, and the search for meaning in life. In Vitterso, J. (Ed.) Handbook of Eudaimonic Wellbeing (pp. 323-336). New York, NY: Springer.
  • *Yee, C. I., & Shiota, M. N. (2015). An insecure base: Attachment style and orienting response to positive stimuli.  Psychophysiology, 52(7), 905-909.
  • Haase, C. M., Beermann, U., Saslow, L. R., Shiota, M. N., Saturn, S. R., Lwi, S. J., Casey, J. J., Nguyen, N. K., Whalen, P. K., Keltner, D., & Levenson, R. W. (2015). Short Alleles, Bigger Smiles? The Effect of 5-HTTLPR on Positive Emotional Expressions. Emotion, 15(4), 438-448.
  • Shiota, M. N. & *Neufeld, S. L. (2014). My heart will go on: Aging and autonomic nervous system responding in emotion. In P. Verhaegen & C. Hertzog (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Emotion, Social Cognition, and Problem Solving in Adulthood (pp. 225-237).  New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
  • Shiota, M. N., *Neufeld, S. L., *Danvers, A. F., *Osborne, E. A., *Sng, O., & *Yee, C. I. (2014). Positive emotion differentiation: A functional approach. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 8(3), 104-117.
  • Shiota, M. N. (2014). Evolutionary approaches to positive emotion. In M. Tugade, M. N. Shiota, & L. Kirby (Eds.), Handbook of Positive Emotion (pp. 44-59). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
  • Shiota, M. N., Thrash, T., *Danvers, A. F., & Dombrowski, J. T. (2014). Transcending the self: Awe, elevation, and inspiration. In M. Tugade, M. N. Shiota, & L. Kirby (Eds.), Handbook of Positive Emotion (pp. 362-395). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
  • Shiota, M. N. & *Danvers, A. F. (2014). Another little piece of my heart: Positive emotions and the autonomic nervous system. In J. Moskowitz & J. Gruber (Eds.), Positive Emotion: Integrating the Light Sides and Dark Sides. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
  • Campos, B., Shiota, M. N., Keltner, D., Gonzaga, G. C., Goetz, J., & Shin, M. (2013). What is shared, what is different?: Core relational themes and expressive displays of eight positive emotions. Cognition and Emotion, 27(1), 37-52.
  • Shiota, M. N., & Levenson, R. W. (2012). Turn down the volume, or change the channel?: Emotional effects of detached versus positive reappraisal. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 103(3), 416-429.
  • Haase, C., Seider, B. H., Shiota, M. N., & Levenson, R. W. (2012). Anger and sadness in response to an emotionally neutral film: Evidence for age-specific associations with well-being. Psychology and Aging, 27(2), 305-317.
  • Shiota, M. N., *Neufeld, S. L., *Yeung, W. H., *Moser, S. E., & *Perea, E. F. (2011). Feeling good: Autonomic nervous system responding in five positive emotions. Emotion, 11(6), 1368-1378.
  • Seider, B. H., Shiota, M. N., Whalen, P., & Levenson, R. W. (2011). Greater sadness reactivity in late life. Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience, 6(2), 186-194.
  • *Griskevicius, V., Shiota, M. N., & Nowlis, S. M. (2010). The many shades of rose-colored glasses: Discrete positive emotions and product perception. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(2), 238-250.
  • Shiota, M. N., Campos, B., Gonzaga, G. C., Keltner, D., & Peng, K. (2010).  I Love You But…: Cultural Differences in Emotional Complexity During Interaction With a Romantic Partner. Cognition and Emotion, 24(5), 786-799.
  • *Griskevicius, V., Shiota, M. N., & *Neufeld, S. L. (2010). Influence of Different Positive Emotions on Persuasion Processing: A Functional Evolutionary Approach. Emotion, 10(2), 190-206.
  • Shiota, M. N., & Levenson, R. W. (2009). Effects of Aging on Experimentally Instructed Detached Reappraisal, Positive Reappraisal, and Emotional Behavior Suppression. Psychology and Aging, 24(4), 890-900.
  • Oveis, C., Cohen, A. B., Gruber, J., Shiota, M. N., Haidt, J., & Keltner, D. (2009). Resting Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia is Associated with Tonic Positive Emotionality. Emotion, 9(2), 265-270.
  • Kenrick, D. T., & Shiota, M. N. (2008). Approach and avoidance motivation(s): An evolutionary perspective. In A. J. Elliot (Ed.), Handbook of Approach and Avoidance Motivation (pp. 273-288). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  • Shiota, M. N., & Levenson, R. W. (2007). Birds of a feather don’t always fly farthest: Big Five personality similarity associated with more negative marital satisfaction trajectories in long-term marriages. Psychology and Aging, 22(4), 666-675.
  • Shiota, M. N., Keltner, D., & Mossman, A. (2007).  The nature of awe: Elicitors, Appraisals, and Effects on Self-Concept. Cognition and Emotion, 21(5), 944-963.
  • Bonanno, G. A., Colak, D. M., Keltner, D., Shiota, M. N., Papa, A., Noll, J. G., Putnam, F. W., & Trickett, P. K. (2007). Context matters: The benefits and costs of expressing positive emotion among survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Emotion, 7(4), 824-837.
  • Shiota, M. N. (2006). Silver linings and candles in the dark: Differences among positive coping strategies in predicting subjective well-being. Emotion, 6(2), 335-339.
  • Shiota, M. N., Keltner, D., & John, O. P. (2006). Positive emotion dispositions differentially associated with Big Five personality and attachment style. Journal of Positive Psychology, 1(2), 61-71.
  • Keltner, D., Haidt, J., & Shiota, M. N. (2006). Social functionalism and the evolution of emotions. In M. Schaller, J. A. Simpson, & D. T. Kenrick (Eds.) Evolution and Social Psychology, pp. 115-142. New York: Psychology Press.
  • Shiota, M.N., Campos, B., Keltner, D., & Hertenstein, M.J. (2004). Positive emotion and the regulation of interpersonal relationships.  In P. Philippot & R.S. Feldman (Eds.), The Regulation of Emotion (pp. 127-155).  Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Research Activity
Spring 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 501Supervised Teaching
Fall 2018
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 394Special Topics
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 550Advanced Social Psychology
Spring 2018
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 591Seminar
Fall 2017
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 591Seminar
Spring 2017
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 230Introduction to Statistics
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
Fall 2016
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 591Seminar
Spring 2016
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 501Supervised Teaching
PSY 591Seminar
Fall 2015
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 550Advanced Social Psychology
Spring 2015
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
PSY 591Seminar
PSY 600Research Methods
Fall 2014
Course NumberCourse Title
PSY 394Special Topics
PSY 399Supervised Research
PSY 499Individualized Instruction
Service
  • 2009-2011, Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Emotion Preconference, Co-Chair (2009-2011)
  • 2011-present, Ad hoc Committee on Diversity, Society for Psychophysiological Research (Co-Chair as of September 2012)
  • 2011-2017, Public Relations Committee Member, Society for Psychophysiological Research (Chair 2013-2016)
  • 2012-2013,  Member, ASU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Student Affairs and Grievances Committee
  • 2013-2016, Associate Editor, Emotion
  • 2014-2016, Member, Convention Program Committee (Personality/Emotion focus), Association for Psychological Science
  • 2015-2018, Board of Directors Member, Society for Psychophysiological Research
  • 2016-2017, Chair, 2017 Annual Convention Program Committee, Association for Psychological Science
  • 2016-present, Member, Cognition and Perception study section (CP), NIH Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes grant review group
  • 2018-present, Consulting Editor, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Attitudes and Social Cognition
Expertise Areas
Emotion
Stress and Emotion
Interpersonal Relationships
Social Psychology