Can you tell me about your research?, I study self‑regulation, which means how people control their emotions and actions. In my master's research, I found that our family and upbringing affect this ability. Now, for my PhD, I am running experiments where people complete tasks alone or with a loved one nearby. I want to see if having someone important nearby helps people cope with stress., How do you conduct your experiment?, In my experiment, participants complete a series of tasks that require concentration and patience. These tasks are designed to be a bit stressful – for example, solving difficult puzzles under time pressure. While they are doing the tasks, I measure how well they manage their emotions and performance. I compare three different conditions. In the first condition, participants work alone. In the second condition, a significant other – for example, their partner or a close friend – sits in the same room. In the third condition, the significant other is not physically present, but there is a symbolic representation – such as a photo or a short video message. I want to see whether physical presence is necessary or whether a symbolic reminder is enough to help people self‑regulate., What did you discover in your master's research?, In my master's research, I studied 400 participants and looked at six different levels of self‑regulation: genetic, physiological, behavioural, emotional, cognitive and personal. I found that these levels are connected and work in two directions. Sometimes our biology influences our behaviour – this is called bottom‑up regulation. Other times, our thoughts and personal values influence our biology – this is top‑down regulation. Based on different combinations of factors, I identified six distinct self‑regulation profiles. For example, some people rely more on their emotions, while others rely more on logical thinking. These profiles help explain why people react differently to the same stressful situation., What do you hope to find in your PhD research?, In my PhD research, I hope to confirm the model and the six profiles I found in my master's study, but with a larger sample. I also want to understand how the presence of a significant other changes self‑regulation. My hypothesis is that people will perform better and feel less stressed when a loved one is present – even if that loved one is just represented by a photo or a video. However, I also expect to see individual differences. Some people may need physical presence, while others may be comforted by a symbolic reminder. I think this research could have practical applications – for example, helping people cope with anxiety during medical procedures or exams., How could your research be used in real life?, I think my research could be useful in several areas. First, it could help psychologists understand why some people struggle with self‑regulation more than others. Second, it could inform how we design support systems. For example, if we find that a photo of a loved one is almost as effective as their physical presence, we could use this in hospitals or schools. A child who is anxious about an exam could keep a family photo on their desk. A patient waiting for a medical procedure could watch a short video message from their partner. My research could also help families understand how their behaviour influences a child's ability to self‑regulate., How long have you been working on this research?, I started working on self‑regulation during my master's degree, which was about two years ago. The master's research took about one year, including designing the study, collecting data from 400 participants and analysing the results. Now I have been working on my PhD research for about six months. So in total, I have been involved in this topic for almost three years., Do you enjoy doing research? Why?, Yes, I really enjoy it. I like the process of finding answers to questions that nobody has answered before. For me, the most exciting moment is when you analyse the data and start to see patterns. It is like solving a puzzle. Also, I think my research is meaningful because it could help people understand themselves better and cope with stress more effectively., What is the most difficult part of your research?, The most difficult part is probably recruiting participants for the experiment. I need people who are willing to come to the lab, complete stressful tasks, and sometimes bring a significant other with them. It takes a lot of time and effort to find enough participants. Another challenge is controlling all the variables – making sure that the only thing changing between conditions is the presence of the significant other, and nothing else., Have you encountered any unexpected results so far?, In my master's research, one unexpected finding was that the emotional level of self‑regulation was more important than I had thought. I initially expected that the cognitive level – logical thinking – would be the strongest predictor of successful self‑regulation. However, the data showed that emotional regulation was equally important. This surprised me and made me change my perspective. Now in my PhD research, I am paying more attention to the emotional level., Do you work alone or as part of a team?, I work under the supervision of a scientific advisor, so I am not completely alone. She helps me design the experiments and interpret the results. However, most of the daily work – reading articles, collecting data, analysing statistics – I do by myself. I also collaborate with other PhD students sometimes. For example, we discuss each other's research and give feedback. I find this very helpful..

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