Boker, Steven M.
Primary Appointment
Professor, Psychology
Contact Information
PO Box 400400
Telephone: 3-7275
Email: smb3u@virginia.edu
Website: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~smb3u
Research Disciplines
Psychology
Research Interests
Dynamical Systems Analysis of Behavioral Data; Interpersonal Coordination; Postural Control
Research Description
Dr. Boker's research interests include the application of dynamical systems analytic techniques to psychological and physiological data. His contributions include methods for examining change in multivariate mixed cross-sectional and longitudinal data include the Statistical Vector Field method, Differential Structural Equation Modeling using local linear approximation of derivatives, and the Latent Differential Equations method for fitting differential equations models to multivariate multiple occasion data. He is currently pursuing research into methods for estimating models for nonstationary data -- data for which model parameters or model structures change over time.
Dr. Boker's current NSF sponsored project is through the Human and Social Dynamics program. In collaboration with Jeffrey Cohn at University of Pittsburgh and Simon Baker in the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University, he is studying the coordination of gestures and facial expressions during dyadic conversation over a video phone. Dr. Boker's lab uses state of the art computerized technology to test cognitive theories of interpersonal coordination and perception-action coupling during conversation, dance, and imitation learning tasks. His awards include the Raymond B. Cattell Award for distinguished early career contributions to multivariate psychology and the Tanaka award from the Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology. See website: http://people.virginia.edu/~smb3u/
UNLEASH (Undergraduate Research)
Our research explores how people coordinate their movements and facial expressions during conversation. RAs will be involved in all parts of the project including learning to use state of the art computer software that tracks the body movements and facial expressions. We are looking for motivated students interested in the psychology of social interaction as well as the technical aspects of laboratory science in psychology.
The project is in collaboration with researchers at the University of Rochester, University of Zurich, and Max Planck Institute in Berlin, so RAs will also have a chance to meet faculty and graduate students from other institutions. Priority will be given to students who can commit to at least two semesters.
Contact: Prof. Boker boker@virginia.edu