Welcome to the
Emotion, Mind & Body Lab
The EMBody Lab investigates biopsychosocial mechanisms in the development of emotion dysregulation and related outcomes (e.g., depression, suicide). Within this area, we are especially interested in understanding the costs, benefits, and foundations--social-cognitive, biological, and developmental--of emotion awareness. Our work draws on multiple emotion theories, with emphasis on embodied emotion and interoception (upward body-to-brain communication). We integrate different methodologies (e.g., behavioral, psycholinguistic, biological) to measure emotion experience and the interconnected processes that give rise to it.
A major current focus is on the effects of stressful experiences on adolescents' interoception, and the role of interoception in adolescents' suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
We ask questions like...
How do you know which emotion you are feeling?
What happens to your experience when you label it with words?
How and when is identifying emotions helpful for adaptation? Can identifying emotions be counterproductive?
How is the body involved in generating subjective emotion experience?
How do social environments (e.g., stressful experiences, emotion socialization) affect body-to-brain communication? Do these changes in body-to-brain communication help explain the development of mood disorders and related outcomes?
As a brand new lab, we've got lots going on!
We are lucky to work with you, Mayah!
March 10, 2023: Our incredible lab coordinator, Mayah K. Palmer, just won the university's Black Scholars Excellence in Mentoring Award! This award recognizes extraordinary efforts toward making our community more inclusive. It is one small way Queen's can begin to show thanks for the disproportionate service burden placed implicitly on Black scholars, who often perform thankless labor--formally and informally--to make spaces around them safer. Even while pursuing her own goals, Mayah has worked tirelessly to care for all around her, including by supporting other marginalized members of our lab and advocating for inclusive practices in research. Mayah will be honoured at an awards ceremony later this month!
Did you miss our open house for prospective grad students?
Nov 5, 2022: As part of our annual virtual open house on Nov 5, I held a break-out meeting to orient prospective graduate students to my lab. The purpose of this session was to answer your questions about the lab and the application, and to share some tips for evaluating my lab's fit for your goals (and your fit with us). For more information on applying to work with me, specifically, see Join the Lab.
What an hono(u)r!
Sept 21, 2022: What a privilege to receive a major grant from the John R. Evans Leader's Fund (JELF) through the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI)! Vera wrote this grant during some very late nights, while struggling with work-life balance while on maternity leave. She could not be more excited at this result. Very many thanks to the terrifically helpful team at the Queen's University grants office for their help securing this award. The grant will help pay for our lab construction and support some of the state-of-the-art equipment we will be getting for measuring the heart-brain connection. See this feature in the Queen's Gazette.
It's happening!
Sept 9, 2022: We had an amazing launch party under the trees! Blue skies, donuts, and smiling faces. Very exciting to have such a dynamic group helping me jump-start this new lab. Thanks to a productive summer, we are ready to get started with several new projects. We strive to be an inclusive bunch of curious people learning new skills together (while we study interoception). more photos :)
We're growing...
May 25, 2022: The EMBody Lab welcomes its first full-time staff! Selena Zou and Katelyn Battad joined the lab as summer interns through the Summer Work Experience Program (SWEP) at Queen's. These exceptional people took a running start, and in one short week have made huge strides in setting up our upcoming projects. Vera is beyond thrilled for their energy and support. Learn more about Kaleyn and Selena on our People page, and stay tuned for more exciting additions to our team, coming soon!
Winter is here!
Dec 23, 2021: Wishing everyone a happy and healthy season. May you have access to the COVID shots and tests you need, and may you enjoy some time with your loved ones if you are lucky enough to be seeing them this year.
(If you are wondering about the status of your graduate application, they've only JUST been circulated to faculty, so I have only just begun reviewing them. I'll be in touch with interview invitations in the New Years.)
Queen's Psychology Virtual Open House
Welcome, baby!
Aug 14, 2021: Lots of new undertakings these days... No only is there a brand new lab in the making, but also Vera's family is growing. Baby #2 has arrived safe and sound, which means that Vera's year-long maternity leave has officially begun (thank you, Canada! :::hard stare at countries without paid parental leave:::). Anyone joining the EMBody Lab can expect open discussion about the work-life dilemma, in all its sneaky disguises.
Lab design is underway!
Aug 4, 2021: Today Vera met the fabulous folks at Queen's Facilities Management--a designer and two construction experts--to begin planning the EMBody Lab space on the 4th floor of Humphrey Hall. It's going to be quite an overhaul! Two former animal labs will be combined & transformed into a bright, cheerful suite for humans, containing cardiovascular, EEG, and behavioral testing rooms, student offices and computer spaces, and more. Can't wait to nail down the layout and get started on construction!
Hello, Kingston
June 20, 2021: Vera and family crossed the border into Canada and arrived in Kingston. Fourteen days later, having survived the mandatory immigration quarantine (& planted a late veggie garden!), they started exploring this completely charming city--waterfront, restaurants, and so, so many parks. The summer in Kingston is idyllic... Eager to see what the other seasons will bring!
Queen's University is located on Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory.
As a newcomer to Canada and this region, Dr. Vine is learning about Ontario's colonial history, what this land acknowledgement means, and how to move beyond acknowledgement to action that supports tangible reparations to the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, and other Indigenous communities.