Alan Rheaume

I joined Dr. Andrews’ lab during my second year of the Psychology, Neuroscience, & Behaviour program.  I approached Dr. Andrews after his talk about the adaptive benefits of depression in my second year Research Methods class.  His refreshing perspective on depression and mental health expanded my understanding of this condition, while underscoring the importance of considering modern mental health issues in light of evolutionary theory.  

In my four years in the EvoHealth Lab, I have been involved with numerous research projects.  In my first two years with the lab, I collaborated with Paul and Tanor Bonin to investigate how sad music can produce sad mood.  Last year, along with Marta Maslej, I completed a Senior Honours Thesis testing a new therapeutic treatment for depression through fictional writing.  Over the past summer, Marta, Paul, Skye Barbic and I authored a paper awaiting submission that tested the psychometric validity of four transient mood profiles.  In the future, I hope to research the parallels between the resolution of personal conflicts in depression, and the resolution of imaginary conflict in story, and its application to the treatment of mental illness and promotion of mental health.