• The functions of emotions with respect to the two interrelated regulatory processes in which emotions are involved: a) the intra-individual regulation of thoughts and behavior and b) the inter-individual regulation in social interactions.
• The role of facial expressions as an interface between these two regulatory processes or systems:
1. Major issues concerning the intra-individual process are the relation between emotion and cognition, particularly emotion- antecedent appraisal, and the interactions between different emotion components, in particular the role of subjective experience or feeling state.
2. The inter-individual process is studied in terms of how emotions and emotion expression regulate interpersonal interaction and - vice versa - how emotions are regulated during interactions.
• The empirical study and theoretical modeling of emotion, cognition, and behavior as situated processes in a dynamically changing environment. A more detailed description of this research domain can be found in the description of current projects.
• Computerized approaches to the analysis and synthesis of facial expressions. More information about tools developed by Thomas Wehrle can be found here.
• Emotion, stress and coping
• Disturbances in emotional processing in clinical disorders

Other Professional Activities

• Faculty member in the Postgraduate Program in Psychology: Stress and emotions at work and in social relationships. Co-orgnization of  the first years’ scientific seminar, which took place as part of the 7th Geneva Emotion Week (GEW'99): Emotion and Stress: The Nature of the Emotion Process.

• Organization of the third GENEVA EMOTION WEEK (GEW '95) on Artificial Emotions. The intention of GEW'95 is to bring together researchers from diverse disciplines, including AI, neurosciences, philosophy, and psychology, who share an interest in architectures and mechanisms underlying emotion, motivation, and intelligence. The focus is on architectural requirements for an autonomous agent, combining the various sub-functions and sub-mechanisms normally studied separately in AI and Psychology.

Program committees

Affiliations

• Fédération Suisse des Psychologues (FSP)
• Société Suisse de Psychologie (SGP/SSP;  vice president, committee member since September 1995)
• Schweizerische Informatikergesellschaft (SI)
• Swiss Group for Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science (SGAICO)
• American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)
• International Society for Research on Emotions (ISRE)
• International Society for Facial Expression - Measurement and Meaning (vice president)