Karen Dobkins

Professor Karen Dobkins is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience and Developmental Psychology. Her affiliations include the Human Experience and Awareness Lab (HeaLab), where she explores interventions to enhance mental well-being, and her teaching responsibilities include courses like 'Learning Sustainable Well-Being' and 'Science of Mindfulness'.

Her research spans mindfulness interventions, developmental neuroscience, autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing in infants, and cross-cultural relationship dynamics. Notable areas of focus include meditation's effects on well-being, interoception's role in social connection, and the neurodevelopmental underpinnings of autism. She has also investigated visual processing in infants and deaf populations, contributing to our understanding of brain plasticity.

Her applied work emphasizes practical solutions to mental health challenges, such as reducing loneliness and anxiety through workshops, and she has pioneered studies on inner speech, hugging’s psychological benefits, and cultural differences in love preferences. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates psychology, neuroscience, and education.

Professor Dobkins has collaborated on over 100 publications, including seminal works on autism biomarkers, visual perception in infants, and mindfulness efficacy. She advises graduate and undergraduate students and has received grants supporting research on developmental disorders and mental health interventions.

Her lab, HeaLab, bridges applied and theoretical research, addressing societal issues like rising loneliness and anxiety. Current projects explore interventions to reduce body shame, the impact of cultural ideals on love scripts, and the effects of mindfulness on university students' well-being.