Social Memory Lab 6400 Freret Street, New Orleans, LA 70118

The Social Memory Lab, located at 6400 Freret Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a research institution that focuses on understanding the cognitive processes behind social interactions and social memory. Supported by collections of interacting neurons in the brain, the lab explores how we interpret the actions and statements of others in terms of their underlying mental states such as beliefs, intentions, and emotions.

Research conducted at the Social Memory Lab delves into the development of social reasoning in infants, investigating whether understanding of other people as beings with internal mental states is innate or acquired through experience. The lab also explores the brain systems that support social understanding and how they function from an early age.

Emphasizing creativity and critical thinking, the Social Memory Lab values hard work and efficient habits over long hours. The institution sees science as a collaborative and social process, fostering a community of scholars who enjoy interacting both in and out of the lab. Diversity of perspectives is encouraged, creating a space where everyone feels comfortable regardless of background.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the lab peers inside the human brain to study which regions are active during specific behaviors and how they encode information. By focusing on the precise functional organization of individual human brains, the lab avoids the blurring caused by averaging data across multiple individuals. Specialized methods are also used to scan awake infants, studying the development of neural systems supporting social cognition.