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About Me
About Me
I am a postdoctoral scholar at University of Southern California whose research investigates the psychophysiological and neural mechanisms that shape adolescents’ social and emotional development. My work focuses on how emotion regulation, autonomic physiology, neural functioning, and social stress responses support or constrain prosocial behavior, empathy, and altruistic motivation. I also examine how contextual environments, including families, schools, and neighborhoods, amplify or buffer these processes, providing a broader lens on resilience and thriving in adolescence. By integrating experimental, longitudinal, and large-scale data, my goal is to highlight the multi-level systems that foster healthy development and inform strategies to support youth across diverse communities.
I am a postdoctoral scholar at University of Southern California whose research investigates the psychophysiological and neural mechanisms that shape adolescents’ social and emotional development. My work focuses on how emotion regulation, autonomic physiology, neural functioning, and social stress responses support or constrain prosocial behavior, empathy, and altruistic motivation. I also examine how contextual environments, including families, schools, and neighborhoods, amplify or buffer these processes, providing a broader lens on resilience and thriving in adolescence. By integrating experimental, longitudinal, and large-scale data, my goal is to highlight the multi-level systems that foster healthy development and inform strategies to support youth across diverse communities.
Recent Publications
Hodge, R. T. (in press). Adolescent prosocial development: Insights from Psychophysiology and Emotion Regulation. In R. Cobo-Rendón, D. García-Álvarez, D. Bruna Jofre, & A. Sánchez (Eds.), Perspectives of well-being in the life cycle: A journey from childhood to early adulthood. Springer.
Hodge, R. T., Partington, L. C., Knapp, M., & Hastings, P. D. (2025). Associations of Emotion Regulation and Distress with Altruistic and Egoistic Prosociality During COVID-19. Emotion. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/emo0001604
Hodge, R. T., Klimes-Dougan, B., Zahn-Waxler, C., Shirtcliff, E., & Hastings, P. D. (2025).Parasympathetic Reactivity to Recalled Emotional Experiences and Adolescent Prosociality. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 35(2), 633–650. https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.70033
Hastings, P. D., Miller, J. G., Weissman, D. G., Hodge, R. T., Robins, R. W., Carlo, G., & Guyer, A. E. (2024). Parasympathetic regulation and support from family and friends predict prosocial development in U.S. Mexican-origin adolescents. Developmental Psychology. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/dev0001780
Hastings, P. D., Hodge, R. T., & Partington, L. C. (2023). The developmental psychophysiology of prosociality. In M. Davidov & T. Malti (Eds.), Cambridge Handbook of Prosociality (pp. 85-107). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108876681.006
Hastings, P. D., & Hodge, R. T. (2023). Considering the experiences and adjustment of sexual and gender minority youths during the COVID-19 pandemic. Current Opinion in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101660
Hodge, R. T., Guyer, A. E., Carlo, G., & Hastings, P. D. (2023). Cognitive reappraisal and need to belong predict prosociality in Mexican-origin adolescents. Social Development, 32(2), 633–650. https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12651
Knapp, M. E., Partington, L. C., Hodge, R. T., Ugarte, E., & Hastings, P. D. (2021). We’re all in this together: Focus on community attenuates effects of pandemic-related financial hardship on reactance to COVID-19 public health regulations. PloS One, 16(12). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260782
Teaching
My teaching experience spans undergraduate and graduate levels, with a focus on developmental psychology, research methods, and psychophysiology. I have designed and led lectures, seminars, and labs that emphasize active learning and the application of theory to real-world contexts. Beyond the classroom, I have taught students how to collect, process, and interpret psychophysiological data, and I have collaborated internationally to support training in these methods. I also bring experience facilitating groups of high school students, including work with sexual minority youth, which has deepened my commitment to fostering inclusive, supportive learning environments. Through these experiences, I strive to make complex concepts approachable, connect scientific ideas to practical examples, and create spaces where students feel engaged, respected, and motivated to learn.
My teaching experience spans undergraduate and graduate levels, with a focus on developmental psychology, research methods, and psychophysiology. I have designed and led lectures, seminars, and labs that emphasize active learning and the application of theory to real-world contexts. Beyond the classroom, I have taught students how to collect, process, and interpret psychophysiological data, and I have collaborated internationally to support training in these methods. I also bring experience facilitating groups of high school students, including work with sexual minority youth, which has deepened my commitment to fostering inclusive, supportive learning environments. Through these experiences, I strive to make complex concepts approachable, connect scientific ideas to practical examples, and create spaces where students feel engaged, respected, and motivated to learn.
Courses Taught:
University of California, Davis
HDE 120: Research Methods in Human Development
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