Alissa Mrazek
Research Assistant Professor — Ph.D., Northwestern University

Contact
- E-mail: mrazek@utexas.edu
- Office: SEA 5.238
- Office Hours: By Appointment
Interests
Self-Regulation, Motivation, Attention, Adolescence, Psychological Interventions
Biography
Dr. Alissa Mrazek joined the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin in September 2020. The mission of her Applied Psychology Research Lab is to translate rigorous science into interventions that will benefit humanity.
Specifically, her research focuses on self-regulation—the ability to direct one's attention, thoughts, emotions, and behavior in line with one's goals. Many adolescents struggle to engage in effective self-regulation, which is contributing to an alarming increase in distraction, stress, and mental illness. Dr. Mrazek’s research develops interventions that enhance self-regulation and evaluates their efficacy and underlying mechanisms. Over the last decade, her work has demonstrated that self-regulation is an ability that can be improved dramatically through training. She is currently developing and evaluating a digital intervention with the goal of discovering the best ways to promote self-regulation among high school students at scale. Ultimately, she hopes to advance scientific understanding of how to help adolescents focus their minds, manage their emotions, and reach their goals.
Before joining the Longhorn community, Dr. Mrazek graduated summa cum laude from Cornell University in 2010, received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Northwestern University in 2016, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of California Santa Barbara.
When not at work, she enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, and plant-based cooking.
Courses
PSY 364P • Positive Psy/The Good Life-Wb
42870 • Spring 2021
Meets MWF 12:00PM-1:00PM
Internet; Synchronous
Publications
Mrazek, A.J., Mrazek, M.D., Carr, P.C., Delegard, A.M., Ding, M.G., Garcia, D.I., Greenstein, J.E., Kirk, A.C., Kodama, E.E., Krauss, M.J., Landry, A.P., Stokes, C.A., Wickens, K.D., Wong, K., & Schooler, J.W. (2020). The Feasibility of Attention Training for Reducing Mind-wandering and Digital Multitasking in High Schools. Education Sciences. doi:10.3390/educsci10080201
Cloughesy, J.N., Mrazek, A.J., Mrazek, M.D., & Schooler, J.W. (2020). Planning to Practice: Action and Coping Plans Increase Days of Meditation Practiced. Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, 25(2), 203-209.
Mrazek, A.J., Mrazek, M.D., Maul, A., Mrazek, K.L., Schooler, J.W. (2020). Taking charge: Characterizing the rapid development of self-regulation through intensive training. Journal of Health Psychology. doi:10.1177/1359105320909856
Mrazek, A.J., Mrazek, M.D., Calcagnotto, L.A., Cloughesy, J.N., Holman, A.M., Masters-Waage, T.C., & Schooler, J.W. (2020). Familiarity, attitudes, and self-regulatory challenges related to mindfulness. Mindfulness. doi:10.1007/s12671-020-01332-7
Laukkonen, R., Leggett, J., Gallagher, R., Biddell, H., Mrazek, A., Slagter, H. & Mrazek, M. (2019). The Science of Mindfulness-Based Interventions and Learning: A Review for Educators. Commissioned by the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD). Retrieved from: https://tinyurl.com/u8ono9o
Mrazek, A.J. (2019). Are you Hitting Your Limit or Getting Stronger? The power of Reinterpreting Mental Effort. Behavioral Scientist. Retrieved from: https://tinyurl.com/tjs7h9h
Mrazek, A.J., Mrazek, M.D., Reese, J.V, Kirk, A.C., Gougis, L.J., Delegard, A.M., Cynman, D.J., Cherolini, C.M., Carr, P.C., & Schooler, J.W. (2019). Mindfulness-based attention training: Feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a digital course for high school students. Education Sciences, 9(3), 230. doi:10.3390/educsci9030230
Mrazek, A.J., Mrazek, M.D., Cherolini, C.M., Cloughesy, J.N., Cynman, D.J., Gougis, L.J., Landry, A.P., Reese, J.V., & Schooler, J.W. (2018). The future of mindfulness training is digital, and the future is now. Current Opinion in Psychology, 28, 81-86. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.11.012
Mrazek, A.J., Ihm, E., Molden, D.C., Mrazek, M.D., Zedelius, C.M., & Schooler, J.W. (2018). Expanding minds: Growth mindsets of self-regulation and the influences on effort, fatigue, and perseverance. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 79, 164-180. doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2018.07.003
Mooneyham, B.W., Mrazek, M.D., Mrazek, A.J., Ihm, E., & Schooler, J.W. (2017). An integrated assessment of changes in brain structure and function resulting from intensive mindfulness training. Journal of Cognitive Enhancement. Advance online publication. doi:10.1007/s41465-017- 0034-3
Mrazek, M. D., Zedelius, C.M., Mrazek, A.J., Gross, M.E., Phillips, D.T., & Schooler, J. W. (2017). Mindfulness in education: Enhancing academic achievement and student well-being by reducing mind-wandering. In Mindfulness in Social Psychology, Karremans, J. & Papies, E. (Eds.).
Mooneyham, B.W., Mrazek, M.D., Mrazek, A.J., Mrazek, K.L., Phillips, D.T., & Schooler, J.W. (2016). States of mind: Characterizing the neural bases of focus and mind-wandering through dynamic functional connectivity. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 29(3), 295-506. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_01066
Mooneyham, B. W., Mrazek, M. D., Mrazek, A. J., Schooler, J.W. (2016). Signal or noise: Brain network interactions underlying the experience and training of mindfulness. Proceedings of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1369(1), 240-256. doi:10.1111/nyas.13044
Glazer, S., Blok, S., Mrazek, A.J., & Mathis, A.M. (2015). Priming of Relational Models & Intercultural Training. In Warnick, J.E. & Landis, D. (Eds.) Handbook of Intercultural Relation Neuroscience.
Mrazek, A.J., Harada, T., & Chiao, J.Y. (2014). Cultural neuroscience of identity development. In McLean, K.C. & Syed, M. (Eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Identity Development.
Chiao, J.Y., Cheon, B.K., Pornpattananangkul, N., Mrazek, A.J., & Blizinsky, K.D. (2013). Cultural neuroscience: Progress and promise. Psychological Inquiry, 24(1), 1-19. doi:10.1080/1047840X.2013.752715
Mrazek, A.J., Chiao, J.Y., Blizinsky, K.D., Lun, J., & Gelfand, M.J. (2013). The role of culture–gene coevolution in morality judgment: examining the interplay between tightness–looseness and allelic variation of the serotonin transporter gene. Culture and Brain, 1(1), 1-18. doi: 10.1007/s40167-013-0009-x
Chiao, J.Y., Cheon, B.K., Pornpattananangkul, N., Mrazek, A.J., & Blizinsky, K.D. (2013). Constraints, catalysts and coevolution in cultural neuroscience: Reply to commentaries. Psychological Inquiry, 24(1), 71-79.
Chiao, J.Y., Cheon, B.K., Pornpattananangkul, N., Mrazek, A.J., & Blizinsky, K.D. (2013). Cultural neuroscience: Understanding human diversity. In Gelfand, M.J., Hong, Y.Y., Chiu, C.Y. (Eds.) Advances in Culture Psychology (4). Oxford University Press, Oxford UK.