Lab members
Principal Investigator Dr. Sean McCrea
My current research interests broadly focus on the interplay of motivational and cognitive processes. Our laboratory is currently focusing on defensive behaviors in a variety of contexts, particularly self-handicapping behavior and responding to crticism. Other areas of research interest include phases of goal-pursuit, behavior change, and counterfactual thinking.
Matthew Sherrin-Helm, M.S.
Research interests
Intergroup criticism
Gamification
Intrinsic interest
Mandy Alexandre, B.A.
Research interests
Academic achievement among members of vulnerable groups
Self-handicapping
Gabe Beratio, B.S., M.A.
Research interests
Counterfactual thinking
Current Research Activities
Self-handicapping in stigmatized groups
Mindset model of action phases
Responses to group criticism
Counterfactual thinking
Science advocacy
Recent Publications:
Bitter, A. N., Wondra, T., McCrea, S. M., Darzi, A., & Novak, V. D. (2022). Does it pay to play? Undermining effects of monetary reward and gamification in a web-based task. Technology, Mind, and Behavior.
Wondra, T. K., & McCrea, S. M. (2022). Collective self-doubt: does subjective SES predict behavioral self-handicapping tendency in college students?. Social Psychology of Education, 25(1), 129-167.
Thürmer, J. L., Stadler, J., & McCrea, S. M. (2022). Intergroup sensitivity and promoting sustainable consumption: Meat eaters reject vegans’ call for a plant-based diet. Sustainability, 14(3), 1741.
McCrea, S. M., Erion, C. J., & Thürmer, J. L. (2022). Why punish critical outgroup commenters? Social identity, general norms, and retribution. British Journal of Social Psychology, 61(3), 711-728.
Thürmer, J. L., & McCrea, S. M. (2022). On Efficient Mass-Media Messages During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Expertise and Expressed Social Identity. Technology, Mind, and Behavior, 3(1: Spring 2022), 52.
Darzi, A., McCrea, S. M., & Novak, D. (2021). User Experience with Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment Methods for an Affective Exergame: Comparative Lab-Based Study. JMIR Serious Games, 9(2):e25771. https://doi.org/10.2196/25771
Thuermer, J. L., & McCrea, S. M. (2021). Disentangling the Intergroup Sensitivity Effect: Defending the Ingroup or Enforcing General Norms? European Journal of Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2748
Reynolds, J. J., Estrada-Reynolds, V., Freng, S. & McCrea, S. M. (2021). Cheese it, it’s the Fuzz: Testing the Belief that Guilt Predicts Police Avoidance. Applied Psychology in Criminal Justice, 16, 84-106. http://www.apcj.org/journal/index.php?mode=view&item=162
Darzi, A., Wondra, T., McCrea, S. M., & Novak, D. (2019). Classification of Multiple Psychological Dimensions in Computer Game Players Using Physiology, Performance and Personality Characteristics. Frontiers in Neuroscience, Neural Technology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2019.01278
Reynolds, J.J., Estrada-Reynolds, V.C., Freng, S., & McCrea, S.M. (2019). Investigator beliefs of homicide crime scene characteristics. Applied Psychology in Criminal Justice, 15, 60-85. http://www.apcj.org/journal/index.php?mode=view&item=150
Thuermer, J. L., McCrea, S. M., & McIntyre, B. (2019). Motivated collective defensiveness: Group members prioritize counter-arguing over getting their work done. Social Psychological & Personality Science, 10, 382-392. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550618762298
Reynolds, J. J.*, & McCrea, S.M. (2019). Environmental constraints on the functionality of inhibitory self-control: Sometimes you have to eat the donut. Self and Identity, 18, 60-86. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2017.1354066
Grant Activity:
2022-present RAISE: IHBEM: Understanding and Predicting Behavioral Responses to Epidemic Risks and Control Policies: Implications for Epidemiological Models and Policy Design, Co-PI, NSF
2017-2020 A Kinder, Gentler Technology: Enhancing Human-Machine Symbiosis Using Adaptive, Personalized Affect-Aware Systems, PI Domen Novak (UW), NSF 1717705
2015 Treatment noncompliance as a form of self-handicapping behavior, University of Wyoming (PI)
2014 Overcoming collective defensiveness with implementation intentions, University of Konstanz (collaboration with PI Dr. Lukas Thuermer, University of Konstanz)
External Research Collaborators:
Dr. Peter M. Gollwitzer, New York University; University of Konstanz (Germany)
Dr. Edward R. Hirt, Indiana University
Dr. Lukas Thuermer, Paris Lodron University, Salzburg (Austria)
Dr. Frank Wieber, Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland)
