Anthony Vaccaro
@agvacca.bsky.social
Research Assistant Professor at UNC Psych & Neuro/Winston Center | Brains, Media-use, and Messy Feelings
anthonygvaccaro.com
anthonygvaccaro.com
My new piece out in Scientific American!
Separate brain processes cope with moment-to-moment versus big-picture experiences, which helps explain how parenting both increases and decreases aspects of well-being
The Neuroscience behind the ‘Parenting Paradox’ of Happiness
Separate brain processes cope with moment-to-moment versus big-picture experiences, which helps explain how parenting both increases and decreases aspects of well-being
www.scientificamerican.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:24 PM
My new piece out in Scientific American!
Join us for the UNC Developmental Psychology Ph.D. Program Info Session! 🎓
Learn about curriculum, funding, application tips, and life in Chapel Hill from faculty and students.
🗓️ Oct 26 | 1–2:30 PM EST
🔗Register: tinyurl.com/uncdevpsych
#UNC #PhD #DevelopmentalPsychology
Learn about curriculum, funding, application tips, and life in Chapel Hill from faculty and students.
🗓️ Oct 26 | 1–2:30 PM EST
🔗Register: tinyurl.com/uncdevpsych
#UNC #PhD #DevelopmentalPsychology
October 22, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Join us for the UNC Developmental Psychology Ph.D. Program Info Session! 🎓
Learn about curriculum, funding, application tips, and life in Chapel Hill from faculty and students.
🗓️ Oct 26 | 1–2:30 PM EST
🔗Register: tinyurl.com/uncdevpsych
#UNC #PhD #DevelopmentalPsychology
Learn about curriculum, funding, application tips, and life in Chapel Hill from faculty and students.
🗓️ Oct 26 | 1–2:30 PM EST
🔗Register: tinyurl.com/uncdevpsych
#UNC #PhD #DevelopmentalPsychology
📢 I'll be recruiting a PhD student in Developmental Psychology for 2026 at UNC Chapel Hill! Student will be co-mentored with Dr. Eva Telzer at the Winston Center. Interests in naturalistic fMRI/fNIRS, developmental affective neuro, and behavioral addictions would be great fits.
October 1, 2025 at 4:09 PM
📢 I'll be recruiting a PhD student in Developmental Psychology for 2026 at UNC Chapel Hill! Student will be co-mentored with Dr. Eva Telzer at the Winston Center. Interests in naturalistic fMRI/fNIRS, developmental affective neuro, and behavioral addictions would be great fits.
Reposted by Anthony Vaccaro
study emotion? sections of this are a v worthwhile read. no paywall. useful reminder that not everyone falls neatly into BET v constructionism buckets researchgate.net/publication/255522683_The_duration_of_affective_phenomena_or_emotions_sentiments_and_passions
(PDF) The duration of affective phenomena or emotions, sentiments and passions
PDF | On Jan 1, 1991, Nico H. Frijda and others published The duration of affective phenomena or emotions, sentiments and passions | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate
researchgate.net
September 28, 2025 at 7:51 PM
study emotion? sections of this are a v worthwhile read. no paywall. useful reminder that not everyone falls neatly into BET v constructionism buckets researchgate.net/publication/255522683_The_duration_of_affective_phenomena_or_emotions_sentiments_and_passions
Our new study in Emotion!
Parents report higher satisfaction yet lower daily happiness- the 'parenting paradox'. So in the transition to parenthood, how do we study well-being? We studied how new fathers adapt by examining meaning/purpose and brain connectivity.
psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?d...
Parents report higher satisfaction yet lower daily happiness- the 'parenting paradox'. So in the transition to parenthood, how do we study well-being? We studied how new fathers adapt by examining meaning/purpose and brain connectivity.
psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?d...
APA PsycNet
psycnet.apa.org
August 29, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Our new study in Emotion!
Parents report higher satisfaction yet lower daily happiness- the 'parenting paradox'. So in the transition to parenthood, how do we study well-being? We studied how new fathers adapt by examining meaning/purpose and brain connectivity.
psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?d...
Parents report higher satisfaction yet lower daily happiness- the 'parenting paradox'. So in the transition to parenthood, how do we study well-being? We studied how new fathers adapt by examining meaning/purpose and brain connectivity.
psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?d...
Reposted by Anthony Vaccaro
🧠Out now in @ohbmofficial.bsky.social ! 🧠
We scanned 32 first-time dads (~8 mos postpartum) while they watched videos of their baby, an unfamiliar baby, their romantic partner, and an unfamiliar woman…1/8
doi.org/10.1002/hbm....
We scanned 32 first-time dads (~8 mos postpartum) while they watched videos of their baby, an unfamiliar baby, their romantic partner, and an unfamiliar woman…1/8
doi.org/10.1002/hbm....
My Baby Versus the World: Fathers' Neural Processing of Own‐Infant, Unfamiliar‐Infant, and Romantic Partner Stimuli
First-time fathers processed own-infant stimuli in mentalizing, emotion regulation, and reward processing regions, and posterior midline responses tracked with bonding and parental stress. Whole-brai....
doi.org
August 18, 2025 at 10:27 PM
🧠Out now in @ohbmofficial.bsky.social ! 🧠
We scanned 32 first-time dads (~8 mos postpartum) while they watched videos of their baby, an unfamiliar baby, their romantic partner, and an unfamiliar woman…1/8
doi.org/10.1002/hbm....
We scanned 32 first-time dads (~8 mos postpartum) while they watched videos of their baby, an unfamiliar baby, their romantic partner, and an unfamiliar woman…1/8
doi.org/10.1002/hbm....
Reposted by Anthony Vaccaro
Whole neighborhoods in Los Angeles just burned down months ago. Home owners are desperate to rebuild. Yet ICE is rounding up day laborers from HOME DEPOT - a place where construction crews hire short term help. The goal is to inflict maximum cruelty on a city already hurting.
June 10, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Whole neighborhoods in Los Angeles just burned down months ago. Home owners are desperate to rebuild. Yet ICE is rounding up day laborers from HOME DEPOT - a place where construction crews hire short term help. The goal is to inflict maximum cruelty on a city already hurting.
Reposted by Anthony Vaccaro
Large-scale projects run the risk of stifling scientific independence. Instead, let’s explore alternative mechanisms of collaboration, writes @neuralreckoning.bsky.social.
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/funding/neur...
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/funding/neur...
Neuroscience needs to empower early-career researchers, not fund moon shots
Large-scale projects run the risk of stifling scientific independence. Instead, let’s explore alternative mechanisms of collaboration.
www.thetransmitter.org
May 26, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Large-scale projects run the risk of stifling scientific independence. Instead, let’s explore alternative mechanisms of collaboration, writes @neuralreckoning.bsky.social.
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/funding/neur...
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/funding/neur...
Loved being a part of this amazing article on how affective neuroscientists are grappling with conceptualizing mixed emotions!
www.salon.com/2025/03/23/m...
www.salon.com/2025/03/23/m...
Why feeling mixed emotions can actually be healthy
Simultaneous joy and rage aren't contradictions — they're part of a spectrum of emotional intelligence
www.salon.com
March 24, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Loved being a part of this amazing article on how affective neuroscientists are grappling with conceptualizing mixed emotions!
www.salon.com/2025/03/23/m...
www.salon.com/2025/03/23/m...
Reposted by Anthony Vaccaro
Excited to share that dissertation work is published in Human Brain Mapping! Self-selected nostalgic music engaged the DMN, reward network, and MTL in younger and older adults. With @assalh.bsky.social, @jonaskaplan.bsky.social, Petr Janata, and Talia Ginsberg
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Music‐Evoked Nostalgia Activates Default Mode and Reward Networks Across the Lifespan
Music-evoked nostalgia activates the default mode network, reward network, medial temporal lobe, and supplementary motor regions of the brain more than non-nostalgic but familiar music that sounds mu....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
March 14, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Excited to share that dissertation work is published in Human Brain Mapping! Self-selected nostalgic music engaged the DMN, reward network, and MTL in younger and older adults. With @assalh.bsky.social, @jonaskaplan.bsky.social, Petr Janata, and Talia Ginsberg
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...