Aftereffects of self-control
Overriding impulses or otherwise controlling thoughts, emotions, or behavior requires self-control (think: resisting a delicious piece of cake or persisting through a grueling study session). Exercising self-control may feel effortful or difficult and research finds that following bouts of self-control people may show biases in attention, motivation, or task performance. My research investigates the aftereffects of self-control exertion and explores underlying neural and psychological mechanisms.
Subjective experiences of mental effort
The sensation of mental effort emerges during mentally demanding activity and is generally considered unpleasant. This work explores how motivational factors impact feelings of mental effort and related sensations (fatigue, boredom, frustration).
Working memory capacity and emotion regulation
Working memory capacity (WMC) refers to the capacity to maintain information in short-term storage while simultaneously processing other information. WMC plays an important role in higher-order cognitive functions like reading comprehension and goal maintenance, but more recent research implicates WMC in emotional processes as well. My research examines how WMC relates to emotional experiences and emotion regulation.
Select Publications
Garrison, K. E., Rivera, G. N., Schlegel, R. J., Hicks, J. A., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2022). Authentic for Thee But Not for Me: Perceived Authenticity in Self-Control Conflicts. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 01461672221118187.
Garrison, K. E., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2022). Getting over it: Working memory capacity and affective responses to stressful events in daily life. Emotion, 22, 418 - 429. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000755. Postprint at https://psyarxiv.com/3mwtb/
Baldwin, C. L., Garrison, K. E., Baumeister, R. F., & Schmeichel, B. J. (in press). Making memorable choices: Cognitive control and the self-choice effect in memory. Self and Identity. doi:10.1080/15298868.2021.1888787. Postprint at https://psyarxiv.com/jytpn/
Garrison, K. E., Crowell, A. L., Kelley, N. J., Finley, A. J., Baldwin, C. L., & Schmeichel, B. J. (in press) Electrocortical effects of acetaminophen during emotional picture viewing, cognitive control, and negative feedback. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience.
Baldwin, C. L., Finley, A. J., Garrison, K. E., Crowell, A. L., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2019). Higher trait self-control is associated with less intense and less frequent visceral states. Self and Identity, 18, 576-588. Postprint at https://psyarxiv.com/vgr45/
Garrison, K. E., Finley, A. J., & Schmeichel, B. J (2019). Ego depletion reduces attention control: Evidence from two high-powered preregistered experiments. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45, 728-739. Postprint at https://psyarxiv.com/pgny3/
Garrison, K. E., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2019) Effects of emotional content on working memory capacity. Cognition and Emotion, 33, 370-377. doi:10.1080/02699931.2018.1438989. PDF
Garrison, K. E., Crowell, A. L., Finley, A. J., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2017). Effects of prior mental effort on picture processing: An ERP investigation. Psychophysiology, 54, 1714-1725. doi:10.1111/psyp.12914. PDF
Garrison, K. E., & Handley, I. M. (2017). Not merely experiential: Unconscious thought can be rational. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1096.
Garrison, K. E., Tang, D., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2016). Embodying power: A preregistered replication and extension of the power pose effect. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 7, 623-630. doi:10.1177/1948550616652209. PDF
Lench, H. C., Baldwin, C. L., Garrison, K. E., & An, D. (2018). The emotional toolkit: Lessons from the science of emotion. In H. C. Lench (Ed.), Functions of emotion: When and why emotions help us. New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
Garrison, K. E., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2022). Getting over it: Working memory capacity and affective responses to stressful events in daily life. Emotion, 22, 418 - 429. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000755. Postprint at https://psyarxiv.com/3mwtb/
Baldwin, C. L., Garrison, K. E., Baumeister, R. F., & Schmeichel, B. J. (in press). Making memorable choices: Cognitive control and the self-choice effect in memory. Self and Identity. doi:10.1080/15298868.2021.1888787. Postprint at https://psyarxiv.com/jytpn/
Garrison, K. E., Crowell, A. L., Kelley, N. J., Finley, A. J., Baldwin, C. L., & Schmeichel, B. J. (in press) Electrocortical effects of acetaminophen during emotional picture viewing, cognitive control, and negative feedback. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience.
Baldwin, C. L., Finley, A. J., Garrison, K. E., Crowell, A. L., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2019). Higher trait self-control is associated with less intense and less frequent visceral states. Self and Identity, 18, 576-588. Postprint at https://psyarxiv.com/vgr45/
Garrison, K. E., Finley, A. J., & Schmeichel, B. J (2019). Ego depletion reduces attention control: Evidence from two high-powered preregistered experiments. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45, 728-739. Postprint at https://psyarxiv.com/pgny3/
Garrison, K. E., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2019) Effects of emotional content on working memory capacity. Cognition and Emotion, 33, 370-377. doi:10.1080/02699931.2018.1438989. PDF
Garrison, K. E., Crowell, A. L., Finley, A. J., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2017). Effects of prior mental effort on picture processing: An ERP investigation. Psychophysiology, 54, 1714-1725. doi:10.1111/psyp.12914. PDF
Garrison, K. E., & Handley, I. M. (2017). Not merely experiential: Unconscious thought can be rational. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1096.
Garrison, K. E., Tang, D., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2016). Embodying power: A preregistered replication and extension of the power pose effect. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 7, 623-630. doi:10.1177/1948550616652209. PDF
Lench, H. C., Baldwin, C. L., Garrison, K. E., & An, D. (2018). The emotional toolkit: Lessons from the science of emotion. In H. C. Lench (Ed.), Functions of emotion: When and why emotions help us. New York, NY: Springer Publishing.