Cognition, Affect, and Psychophysiology Lab (The CAP Lab)

Dr. Martha Ann Bell, Director

Dr. M.A. Bell's Profile

Welcome to the C.A.P. Lab at Virginia Tech. Our research focuses on brain-behavior relations, with an emphasis on frontal lobe development in infants and children. Please explore our website to learn more about our exciting research program.

Research Interests

In the C.A.P. Lab at Virginia Tech, we study multiple aspects of cognitive development, with an emphasis on individual differences in the development of short-term/working memory. In our research studies, we focus on attention, self-regulation, and temperament as the main sources of these individual differences. Our most current work is longitudinal in nature and examines the relations between cognition and affect (or emotion) across infancy and childhood. We are focusing on the observation of behaviors, as well as developmental psychophysiology, including the measurement of brain electrical activity (EEG) and heart rate activity (ECG). This work is funded by the National Institutes of Health / National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R03-HD43057; R01-HD49878).

Current research projects in CAP Lab (data collection in progress):

Inhibitory control during toddlerhood --- Our quarterly longitudinal study of cognition and attention at 15, 18, 21, and 24 months.

Cognition and attention in college students --- Kara's undergraduate research project on cognitive and brain processes in college students with and without ADHD.

(new!) Brain processes during inhibitory control --- Our new study of cognition and attention at 9 months and 12 months. We begin recruitment on this new study this summer!  With Rachel Diana (Psychology).

Plus, our ongoing work (data collection is complete):

Inhibitory control during infancy --- Our monthly longitudinal study of cognition and attention from 5 to 12 months.

Cognition and emotion from infancy through middle childhood ---  Our 9-year study of individual differences in cognition-emotion integration.  

Cognition and emotion in adulthood --- Our "mom study" with mothers of the 9-year longitudinal study children.

Social cognition in late childhood --- Alleyne's dissertation research on neuroconnectivity and inhibitory control across early development.

Risk for anxiety during adolescence --- Ran's preliminary exam project on temperament and attentional biases.

Middle childhood emotion regulation --- Tatiana's thesis research on cognitive reappraisal and emotion regulation.

Plus, our collaborative work with others:

Mathematical operations --- Math problem solving with middle school age children and undergraduate math education majors. With Andy Norton (Mathematics) and Katy Ulrich (Teaching & Learning).

Maternal emotion coaching --- Emotion coaching and child outcomes during early and middle childhood.  With Julie Dunsmore (Psychology) and Jungmeen Kim-Spoon (Psychology).