Virpi-Liisa Kykyri

Virpi-Liisa Kykyri is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, within the Faculty of Education and Psychology. Her research focuses on nonverbal communication, embodied responses in therapy, and therapeutic interactions in clinical and educational settings. Key areas include analyzing physiological synchrony in couple therapy, metacommunication in organizational consulting, and the application of self-determination theory in educational and therapeutic contexts.

Her work integrates qualitative and physiological methodologies, such as stimulated recall interviews and remote physiological monitoring. Notable projects include the PhinGAIN initiative to optimize remote work meetings using stress indicators and a multi-case study on educational detachment among Finnish Roma early school leavers. She has contributed to developing the Stimulated Recall Interview Coding System (SRI-CS) for therapeutic practice.

Research interests extend to animal-assisted therapy, digital health interventions, and the dynamics of conflict resolution. Kykyri’s interdisciplinary approach bridges psychology, education, and organizational behavior, with a focus on enhancing human well-being through evidence-based practices.