My
research interests primarily lie in the experimental analysis of behavior and
behavioral pharmacology. One domain of research that I am interested in is the effects
of drugs, for example, stimulants such as amphetamines, methylphenidate, and
cocaine, on choice and preference. Stimulants have been shown in a number of
studies to increase “self-control” (or decrease “impulsivity”); that is, they
tend to increase choice of larger, delayed reinforcers over smaller, more
immediate reinforcers. One goal of this research is to identify behavioral
mechanisms underlying such effects, and we have recently published some data on
the topic. This work was done under the direction of and in collaboration with
my Master’s thesis advisor, Dr. Ray Pitts, and Dr. Chris Hughes, along with
Andy Rodewald, at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
Currently, I am conducting research, under the direction of PhD advisor, Dr. Marc Branch, investigating the
influence of environmental variables on the development and maintenance of
tolerance to drug effects. Projects thus
far include a comparison of effects of acute (intermittent) and chronic (daily)
cocaine administration on key-pecking by pigeons (to obtain access to grain)
with effects on approaching grain (to consume the grain); investigating effects
of cocaine on key-pecking maintained by different sources of reinforcement; and
extensions of previous research on the phenomenon of
schedule-parameter-dependent tolerance (SPDT).
Links
to papers and presentations featuring data collected during recent research can
be accessed from my publications page. Students interested in working as a
research assistant can follow the link below to send me a note stating such an
interest.
Click here for
Research Assistant form