The Biobehavioral Alcohol Research Laboratory (BARL)
Our research is broadly focused on the cognitive, motivational, and neural processes associated with the self-regulatory problems that are characteristic of externalizing psychopathology, and substance use disorders (primarily Alcohol Use Disorder) more specifically. We are particularly interested in the factors that underlie risky and impulsive decision-making in this population, such as the role of executive working memory, long and short term goals, different types of incentives and disincentives, personality, social context, and brain networks. A key facet of our current work is the investigation of mechanisms by which risky and impulsive decision-making can be modified or improved via training or other experimental manipulations. Another focus of our work in collaboration with Drs. Josh Brown (Cognitive Neuroscience) and Leslie Hulvershorn (Psychiatry) is on the neural mechanisms of nicotine addiction and decisions regarding nicotine use.
Our research is interdisciplinary and involves collaborations with Cognitive Scientists, such as Dr. Thomas Redick at Purdue University, Dr Jerome Busemeyer in Psychological and Brain Sciences at IU, Cognitive Neuroscientists, such as Drs. Joshua Brown and Thomas James and in Psychological and Brain Sciences at IU, and Child Psychiatrists, such as Dr. Leslie Hulvershorn at the Indiana University Medical School.