Arkadiy L. Maksimovskiy, PhD

Arkadiy L. Maksimovskiy, PhD, investigates how mirth—the state that drives laughter—shapes memory and how it can be harnessed to improve mental health. In depression, negative experiences dominate memory while positive ones fade. He studies how inducing mirth can rebalance this pattern and restore access to positive memories.

To capture these processes, Dr. Maksimovskiy uses electroencephalography (EEG), pupillometry, computational modeling, and facial coding. He also examines how social context (i.e., group size and bonding strength) affects the experience of mirth and helps counteract isolation and anhedonia that is often seen in depression.