Saida Heshmati

Saida Heshmati is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Division of Behavioral & Organizational Sciences at Claremont Graduate University, specializing in positive developmental psychology. Her research examines how optimal development unfolds across the lifespan, particularly in at-risk populations, using cutting-edge methodologies including ecological momentary assessment, network analysis, and cultural consensus theory.

Her research focuses on human flourishing across the lifespan, positive relationships and love, and longitudinal analysis of well-being. Heshmati employs innovative approaches such as experience sampling methods, observational analysis, and wearable physiology monitors to understand moment-to-moment well-being dynamics. Her work bridges developmental psychology, cross-cultural studies, and positive psychology to explore how cultural contexts shape love experiences and well-being outcomes.

Recent publications reveal strong emphasis on love perception across cultures, daily well-being tracking, and methodological innovations in psychological assessment. Her 2025-2024 work shows growing focus on cross-cultural love studies, immigrant well-being, and dynamical systems approaches to psychological processes.

• International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) 2023 Early Career Researcher Award
• John Templeton Foundation Grant #63364 (2024-2028): "Embracing Love Across Cultures: Decoding Cultural Beliefs on Love and Their Impact on Wellbeing"

Heshmati directs the Well-Being & Developmental Methods Research Lab and leads a major 5-year cross-cultural study across six countries (India, Japan, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Kenya) examining everyday love experiences. Her Templeton-funded project represents significant grant acquisition focused on transdisciplinary love research. She teaches courses including "Positive Relationships Across the Lifespan" and "Positive Education, The Science of Human Flourishing" while mentoring graduate researchers through her lab.

The Well-Being & Developmental Methods Research Lab operates two major initiatives: the Cross-Cultural Love Project and the main lab focused on developmental methods. The lab employs experience sampling methods, day reconstruction techniques, and dynamical systems modeling to study well-being indicators across diverse populations. Current team includes graduate students, faculty collaborators, and undergraduate research assistants working on multi-country data collection and analysis.