Dr. Ingrid Olson’s laboratory studies memory, decision making, social cognition, and the intersection of these processes. To do this we use a variety of methods including structural and functional MRI and network connectivity.

Current lines of research include:

Social memory refers to our memory for who people are and how we relate to them. This includes the neural basis of face memory, proper name memory, social networks and social hierarchies, as well as the perception, evaluation, memory and conceptualization of personality traits (both abstractly and concretely) such as dominance. For instance, recent studies in our lab have used fMRI and multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) to explore how we embed occupation and social status information in our representations of people. We also use behavioral studies to examine how social memory – or person knowledge – influences how we perceive others and make social decisions.