There are several ongoing projects in the M(SD) lab that are consistent with its core research areas and reflective of its research themes. Many projects are collaborative, utilizing data collected around the world. Projects with primary data collection conducted by the M(SD) lab are listed below. If you are interested in participating, click here.

Daily Diary Oral Contraceptive (DDOC) Study. The purpose of DDOC is to examine how rises and falls in endogenous and exogenous hormones are related to sex differences and psychological fluctuations behavior, affect, and cognition. To accomplish this, we use ambulatory assessment methods – collecting psychological diaries and cognitive test results for 75 consecutive days – in naturally cycling women, women using particular types of oral contraceptives, and men. Data analysis includes growth curve modeling, p-technique (i.e., person-specific factor analysis), and behavioral network modeling with GIMME. Data collection is complete, analyses are ongoing, and several lab publications are already based on this project!

IT Study. The purpose of the IT Study is to examine whether and how exogenous sex hormones, such as estradiol, are related to brain and behavioral sex differences in affect and cognition. To accomplish this, we use questionnaires, cognitive tests, and functional magnetic resonance imaging in combination with a repeated measures design of a natural experiment – women who are taking combined oral contraceptives or using a hormonal intrauterine device. Data analysis includes network connectivity mapping with GIMME. Data collection is complete and analyses are underway!

Emoji Study. The purpose of the Emoji Study is to reveal how emotions are related to depression in individuals’ day-to-day lives, and how these daily processes differ for men and women. To accomplish this, we use a 100-day diary study in which participants varying in depressive symptomatology complete a novel emoji-based daily emotion measure as well as measures of daily experiences, stress, and depression. Data analysis includes p-technique behavioral network modeling with GIMME. This study is funded by the University of Michigan Depression Center and the MICHR Pilot Grants Program. Data collection is complete, analyses are ongoing, and a few lab publications are already based on this project!

Adolescent Daily Diary (ADD) Study. The purpose of ADD is to examine how daily cognition, emotion, and experiences are interrelated and how these inter-relations are linked to academic achievement and motivation. To accomplish this, adolescent siblings participate in a 100-day online study, and their parents and teachers complete related surveys. This allows us to get an individualized look into adolescents’ lives. We then determine similarities and differences across adolescents, and see how they are related to general dispositions and developmental events like puberty. Data analysis includes behavioral network modeling with GIMME. This study is funded by the Jacobs Foundation and the University of Michigan Institute for Research on Women and Gender. Data collection is complete, analyses are ongoing, and a few lab publications are already based on this project!

Personalized Cognition (PC) Study. The purpose of the PC Study is to uncover how daily health, emotions, and experiences influence daily cognition in unique ways for unique individuals across the lifespan. To accomplish this, adults (aged 18-80 years) will participate in a 100-day online study that includes a variety of new executive function measures and reports of daily experiences. This intensive longitudinal approach allows us to move research on cognition out of the laboratory and into the “real world,” and to understand the individuality of cognition. Data analysis includes behavioral network modeling with GIMME. This study is funded by the James S. McDonnell Foundation. Data collection is complete and analyses are underway!

Psychological Correlates of Gender and Hormones (POGH) Study.The purpose of the POGH Study is to investigate the role of sex hormones – like testosterone and estrogen – in the lives of unique individuals. In this 90-minute laboratory-based study, we aim to learn about the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of males, females with a natural menstrual cycle, and females using oral contraceptives (OCs, or “the pill”) and hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs). Despite decades of research on the ways in which sex hormones are related to human brain function and behavior, there is virtually no systematic research on links between IUD use and psychology. This represents a critical disparity in the scientific corpus, as people make daily decisions about their reproductive health, potentially without sufficient information. The goal of this project is to begin to provide such systematic empirical evidence. Data collection is complete, analyses are ongoing, and a few lab publications are already based on this project!

Psychological Correlates of Gender and Hormones-Online (POGH-O) Study. The purpose of the POGH-O Study is to move the POGH Study online (using the Prolific recruitment platform), increasing the size and generalizability of the sample as well as including individuals with even more diverse hormonal milieus. Specifically, POGH-O continues investigating the role of sex hormones – like testosterone and estrogen – in the lives of males, feamles with a natural menstrual cycle (including those with and without past histories of hormonal contraceptive use), and females using oral contraceptives (OCs, or “the pill”), hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs), and arm implants (e.g., Nexplanon®). Data collection is complete and analyses are underway!

Intrauterine Device Dense Imaging (IUDense) Study. The purpose of the IUDense Study is to understand the person-specific ways in which hormones, brain structure and function, and behavior and cognition fluctuate in hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) users. Hormonal IUD users are unique among hormonal contraceptive users because not only are they exposed to synthetic hormones through their IUDs, but they also seem to have ongoing cyclic ovarian function (like naturally cycling females). To understand the day-to-day interplay between these synthetic and endogenous hormone exposures, hormonal IUD users participate in a 35-day precision imaging study that includes daily saliva and urine samples, daily magnetic resonance imaging, and daily surveys and cognitive testing. Data collection is currently ongoing!