How do we stay "ourselves" while constantly changing? This research area examines self-continuity — the thread connecting who we were, who we are, and who we will become. We study how people construct and maintain a coherent sense of self across the past, present, and future, and why some people feel more connected to their future selves than others.

Aging is not decline — it's change, and change unfolds differently at every life stage. This research area takes a lifespan perspective on psychological development, tracking how self-perception, motivation, and cognition shift from early adulthood into later life, and what these shifts reveal about the aging process itself.

Every decision is, in some sense, a negotiation between our present self and our future self. This research area investigates how people set and pursue goals, weigh short-term versus long-term outcomes, and make choices that shape their future, and how these decision processes evolve across the lifespan.

How people adapt — to age, to setbacks, to changing life circumstances — has real consequences for well-being. This research area examines the links between self-continuity, decision-making, and psychological adaptation, asking how a strong connection to one's future self supports healthier choices, greater resilience, and better long-term well-being.