Research Bio
Iris Mauss is a psychologist whose research examines emotion, emotion regulation, and well-being. Her lab investigates how people regulate their emotions in real-world settings and how individual and cultural differences affect emotional functioning.
Mauss is especially known for her studies showing that the pursuit of happiness, when overly emphasized, can paradoxically reduce well-being.
An expert in affective science and psychological resilience, Mauss is a professor in the Department of Psychology at UC Berkeley and director of the Emotion & Emotion Regulation Lab. She currently serves as the director of the Institute of Personality and Social Research (IPSR). Her research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and the Templeton Foundation and has received broad media coverage for its impact on psychological science.
Research Expertise and Interest
social psychology, personality psychology, affective science, psychophysiology, individual differences, emotion, emotion regulation, health psychology, happiness, well-being, psychological health
In the News
Anxious About the Election? UC Berkeley Psychologists Explain How To Cope
Feeling bad about feeling bad can make you feel worse
Featured in the Media
People experience anxiety in situations where the stakes are high, the outcome is uncertain or they don’t feel like they have much control. The presidential election, said psychology Professor Iris Mauss, “is a picture-book case for all three of those factors.”