Andrea Heberlein

Andrea Heberlein serves as a Distinguished Senior Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience at Boston College. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and teaches undergraduate courses including Science of Emotion, Self, Mind, & Society, Social Psychology, and Research Practicum in Social and Cognitive Methods from her office in McGuinn Hall 306.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D., University of Iowa

Dr. Heberlein's research centers on situational influences on mind perception (how humans attribute mental states to others) and the social psychology of doctor-patient interactions. This work bridges social psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and clinical applications to investigate implicit bias, emotion recognition, and social cognition, with direct implications for mental health care delivery and medical communication.

Her publication trajectory reveals a shift from foundational neuroscience studies on emotion recognition and brain structures (amygdala, prefrontal cortex) in the 2000s toward contemporary investigations of implicit bias in healthcare settings. Recent work emphasizes empathic nonverbal behavior in medical contexts and systemic disparities in mental health care, demonstrating consistent translation of basic social cognitive research into real-world clinical applications.