My Research
Emotions are the connective tissue of human relationships. From infancy onward, they shape our inner experiences, sustain our social bonds, and influence health and well-being. To fully grasp the impact of emotions on our lives, I examine how emotion recognition, experiences, beliefs, and regulation shape the development of socioemotional functioning, loneliness, health, and well-being.
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In my research, I utilize complementary methodological approaches (e.g., behavioral observations, longitudinal methods, lab experiments, and experience sampling approaches) and study diverse populations (e.g., caregivers, pre-adolescents, primary care patients, and healthcare professionals).
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1. What are the affective developmental roots of psychosocial well-being?
We all have emotions, but where do they come from? At the core of my research is the question of how early emotional understanding develops and how family dynamics support healthy emotional development. Aiming to equip children with tools that foster resilience, I draw on my background in education and examine how children’s emotion competencies and caregivers’ affect-related individual differences shape well-being, self-regulation, and prosociality.
Selected Publications:
Ugurlu, O., Luerssen, A., Ocampo, J., John, O., & Ayduk, O. (2025). Developmental Trajectories and Socioemotional Correlates of Emotion Recognition in Vocal Bursts in Early Childhood. Developmental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001949. PDF
Luerssen, A., Ugurlu, O., Mauss, I., & Ayduk, O. (2023). Predictors of Delay of Gratification Competencies: Joint Contributions of Caregiver Emotion Regulation Socialization and Child Inhibited Temperament. Scientific Reports: Emotion Socialization, 14(1), 1798. https://10.1038/s41598-024-52288-w. PDF
2. How do positive emotions shape loneliness, health, and well-being in daily contexts?
We experience emotions every day, but how do they shape our social connections, well-being, and health? In addressing this question, my work seeks to illuminate how other-focused positive and prosocial emotions act as the emotional glue of human bonding, sustaining social connection and well-being in daily life.
Selected Publications:
Ugurlu, O., Zerwas, F., Monroy, M., Corona, B., Eagle, J., Amster, M., & Keltner, D. (2026). Daily Experiences of Awe and Loneliness: A Month-Long Longitudinal Study during COVID-19. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-34864-w. PDF
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Monroy, M., Ugurlu, O., Zerwas, F., Corona, B., & Keltner, D., Eagle, J., & Amster, M. (2023). The Influences of Daily Experiences of Awe on Stress, Somatic Health, and Well-Being: A Longitudinal Study During COVID-19. Scientific Reports, 13(1):9336. https://10.1038/s41598-023-35200-w​. PDF
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Featured in Forbes, National Geographic, Psychology Today, The Greater Good Magazine
3. How do people regulate their own and others’ emotions effortlessly?
In stressful situations, people find strategies to regulate their emotions, both internally and through interactions with others. I seek to examine effortless strategies that people use in everyday social interactions, focusing on both intrapersonal and interpersonal regulatory processes. I focus particularly on language and touch, as they are two ubiquitous components of daily life.
Selected Publications:
Ugurlu, O. & Keltner, D. (2026). Touch as Emotion Regulation. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1418374. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1418374. PDF
Ugurlu, O., Zerwas, F., & Keltner, D. (2024). Social Touch at the Intersection of Reappraisal and Daily Stress. Abstracts from the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Society for Affective Science: Emotion Regulation. Affective Science 5, 26–37 (2024). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42761-023-00231-z. PDF