Lisa C. Walsh, M.A.
Doctoral Candidate in Social/Personality Psychology
Positive Activities & Well-Being Lab
University of California, Riverside

My research focuses broadly on the who, what, where, when, why and how of happiness. I investigate the architecture of subjective well-being, including its outcomes (e.g., positive emotions), mechanisms (e.g., social connectedness), moderators (e.g., culture), and downstream consequences (e.g., career success). To explore these questions, I often employ positive activity interventions designed to enhance well-being, such as expressing gratitude, performing acts of kindness, and engaging in flow activities. I am currently working towards my Ph.D. at the University of California, Riverside with Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky in the Positive Activities and Well-Being (PAW) Laboratory.

Some of my current and past research explores:

• How technology (e.g., smartphones, social media) impacts well-being
• Whether happiness precedes and leads to career success
• Sharing gratitude within dynamic social networks
• Engaging in flow activities (e.g., playing Tetris) while awaiting uncertain news​
• The effects of prosocial behavior on biomarkers (e.g., gene expression)
• Whether gratitude can motivate self-improvement