My research examines the psychological foundations of intergroup conflict, political polarization, and collective violence, with a particular focus on the emotional and moral processes that sustain cycles of aggression and impede reconciliation. I investigate how collective emotions, moral beliefs, social identity, and political cognition shape responses to war, collective trauma, civilian harm, and peacebuilding.

Using interdisciplinary and cross-national approaches, my work integrates experimental, survey, cross-cultural, and psychophysiological methodologies to better understand why conflicts emerge, what perpetuates them, and the psychological conditions that foster conflict resolution and nonviolence. Much of my current research focuses on group-based emotions and moral reasoning in the context of violent conflict, including attitudes toward warfare, collective punishment, dehumanization, and support for civilian casualties in war.

I also study affective polarization, democratic erosion, and moral justifications of violence, including how political identities and ideological worldviews normalize aggression and shape support for militarism versus diplomacy. Across these lines of research, the broader goal of my work is to identify the psychological mechanisms that both exacerbate and alleviate intergroup conflict, ultimately contributing to evidence-based approaches for reducing violence and promoting peace.

My research is highly collaborative and international in scope, involving interdisciplinary partnerships across psychology, political science, peace studies, and human security research. I am affiliated with several cross-national research initiatives, including the Just War Project and the Human Security Lab, and I am committed to translating psychological research into insights relevant for peacebuilding, policy, and public engagement.