Richard Lopez, Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience in the Department of Social Science and Policy Studies, recently spoke about building healthy connections with others in the age of social media at two events.
On Feb. 5, at Central Tree Middle School in Rutland, Lopez and several current WPI students joined an assembly, “Rethinking Technology Use to Balance and Empower Our Lives.” Lopez and his students explored the impacts of technology on how we think, feel, and interact with others, and examined tools and strategies that could lead to a healthier, more balanced life.
On Feb. 8, Lopez took the stage at the LUMA Theater at Bard College as part of the its TEDx Bard 2025 series. In “Beyond the Like Button: Reimagining and Reclaiming Social Connection in Our Technology Saturated World,” Lopez focused on how we can reimagine social media platforms to promote digital wellness and nurture our shared humanity.
Trained in social neuroscience, Lopez studies the links between the mind, brain, and social behaviors, how young people experience and regulate emotions in online settings, and how some individuals may be at higher risk for anxiety and depression based on how they use social media. He runs the Social Neuroscience of Affective Processes (SNAP) Lab at WPI.