Dr. Phil Opitz

I am an experimental psychologist conducting research in emotion and emotion regulation.

My main research interests revolve around the ways people can control and change how they feel. Specifically, I am currently involved in projects examining the role of cognitive and social resources in the success and selection of certain emotion regulation strategies. You can read much more about some of the thinking behind this research here and here.

Having earned my doctorate at Tufts University under Heather Urry's supervision, I'm now a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Southern California with Mara Mather.

I am also actively involved in research examining how emotion regulation in the brain and body is different in people with Major Depressive Disorder, and I'm collaborating on a nascent research project examining aspects of mindfulness-based interventions with Sarah Cavanagh at Assumption College, Jeff Birk at Tufts, and Carl Fulwiler at UMass Medical School.

When I'm not in the lab or banging my head against my desk doing research, I enthusiastically pursue the possibilities new technology offers us to simplify our lives, and also enjoy unplugging completely. I like a good paradox.