I am interested in the use of stories as persuasive tools, with particular interest in health-related attitudes and behaviours. That is, I conduct research on how stories can impact what people think (about themselves, others, and everyday issues) and whether this has an impact on how people behave. I am most interested in health-related thoughts and behaviors because of their importance for personal and societal well-being. I am particularly interested in how we process the messages contained in stories and how our "relationship" with a character influences this processing. One of the main focuses of my work is how this processing can happen without much (if any) conscious awareness on our part, and how we also may not realize the effects of this processing (e.g., changes in our attitudes).