Introduction
Charles Geier's research aims to characterize developmental changes in basic affective and cognitive brain mechanisms that underlie these components of decision-making in adolescence. In particular, he is interested in understanding brain systems that mediate anticipatory and consummatory (outcome) responses to incentives (rewards, losses) and how these relate to the development of cognitive control, including inhibitory control and working memory. He also is keenly interested in how risky behaviors, such as cigarette smoking, might be more rewarding to adolescents than adults and how this, in combination with limitations in cognitive control, might lead to initial experimentation with the drug and dependence. The conceptual model that guides much of his research is that it is the interaction between incentive (reward, punishment) processing and basic cognitive control abilities, both of which are still maturing in adolescence, that sets the stage for suboptimal decision making and risk taking, including substance use.
Recent Publications
Griffin, J.W., Geier, G.F., Smyth, J.M., Scherf, K.S. (2021). Improving sensitivity to eye gaze cues in adolescents on the autism spectrum using serious game technology: A randomized controlled trial. JCPP Advances. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12041
Frank, J. L., Broderick, P. C., Oh, Y., Mitra, J., Kohler, K., Schussler, D. L., Geier, C., Roeser, R., Berrena, E., Mahfouz, J., Levitan, J., Greenberg, M. T. (2021). The effectiveness of a teacher delivered mindfulness-based curriculum on adolescent social-emotional and executive functioning. Mindfulness, 12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01594-9
