Research

My research examines how brain–body systems represent self-other relationships and how their disruptions are linked to interpersonal dysfunction in psychopathology.

The Self and Others in the Body

Our body provides important information that helps us understand ourselves and others. Physiological responses, with or without our conscious awareness, signal social safety or threat and shape how we interpret social situations. My research examines how bodily experiences shape one’s perceptions of the self and others, and inform interpersonal decisions. To investigate how physiological and interpersonal processes unfold over time, I use peripheral physiological measures, social decision-making paradigms, and dyadic dynamical systems approaches. This line of work points to a potential mechanism associated with the clinical observation that dysregulated affect often co-occurs with dysregulated relationships, such as in trauma-related and personality disorders. Bodily information not only contributes to one’s subjective emotions, but also shapes how individuals perceive others—as untrustworthy, rejecting, or unfair—and thereby guides relational behaviors.

Selected publications:

• Ma, R. & Yao, B. (2026). Lonely minds in lonely bodies: loneliness as insufficient psychological and neurophysiological self-other overlap. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2026.106550
• Ma, R., Feldman, M. J., Bonar, A. S., Frye, N. G., Imamoglu, A., Giovanello, K. S., & Lindquist, K. A. (revise & resubmit). Interoceptive accuracy, metacognition, and trustworthiness perception across the adult lifespan. preprint
• Feldman, M. J., Ma, R., & Lindquist, K. A. (2024). The role of interoception in emotion and social cognition. In J. Murphy & R. Brewer (Eds.), Interoception: A Comprehensive Guide (p. 125–149). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-68521-7_5

The Self and Others in the Brain

My research examines how the brain integrates bodily signals while forming representations of the self and others. At every moment in our lives, the body sends signals to the brain, which in turn uses this information to regulate the body. As the brain integrates signals from the body and the social environment, this process opens a pathway through which interpersonal experiences can impact one’s neurophysiological functioning. I use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and reinforcement learning computational modeling to examine how the brain processes and represents both one’s own body and the social environment. This line of research begins to elucidate how the brain integrates internal bodily states and interpersonal contexts to track resources and threats, regulate the body, and maintain a stable sense of self.

Selected publications:

• Ma, R., West, T. N., Wulfekuhle, G. E., Escalante, Y. Y., Cascone, A. D., Frye, N. G., Leshin, J., Fredrickson, B. L., Cohen, J. R., & Lindquist, K. A. (2026). Loneliness exacerbates age differences in the allostatic-interoceptive system during induced affect. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsaf124
• Flannery, J. S., Escalante, E. S., Ma., R., Lindquist, K. A., & Telzer, E. H. (2026). Striatal prediction error tracking moderates the influence of social exposure on adolescent substance use curiosity. Human Brain Mapping. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/hbm.70545
• Luo, J., Ma, R., Feldman, M. J., Flannery, J. S., Telzer, E. H., & Lindquist, K. A. (under review). Interoception predicts the neural representation of self and other in adolescence.

Mental Health Literacy and Service Accessibility

To advance the translation of basic science research, I examine how the public perceives and engages with mental health and neuroscience knowledge, and how mental health literacy, stigma, and sociocultural factors influence access to care. Using implementation science frameworks, I study how individuals understand psychological symptoms and how these beliefs shape help-seeking behavior. This work aims to identify ways to more effectively communicate mental health knowledge and align clinical science and service provision with how people understand mental health.

Selected publications:

• Ma, R., & Else-Quest, N. M. (2024). Destigmatizing borderline personality disorder with social justice and intersectional cultural humility: How researchers can construct and deconstruct stigma. Feminism & Psychology, 35(1), 3-21. https://doi.org/10.1177/09593535241278213
• Ma, R., Oakman, J. M., Zhang, X., Zhang, M., Chen, W., & Buchanan, N. T. (2021). Narratives from COVID-19 frontline healthcare workers in China: Lessons for the mental health system from first responders’ challenges, perception of mental health assistance, coping and resilience. Traumatology. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000343
• Ma, R., Zhang, M., Oakman, J. M., Wang, J., Zhu, S., Zhao, C., Hu, Z., & Buchanan, N. T. (2021). Eating disorders treatment experiences and social support: Perspectives from service seekers in mainland China. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 1– 12. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23565
• Ma, R., Nguyen, R., & Oakman, J. M. (2020). Dissemination strategies and usage of psychological assistance hotlines during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Frontiers in Communication, 5, 60. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2020.00060