J. Carson  Smith, Ph.D. 

Assistant Professor 

Interests and Expertise
Dr. Smith's research interest is the study of how exercise and physical activity affect brain function and exert effects on mental health. His studies are designed to describe the psychophysiology of emotion, and examine how acute and chronic physical activity may alter emotional reactivity among patients with anxiety and/or depressive mood disorders. The psychophysiological measures employed in the Exercise Psychophysiology Laboratory at UWM include: reflex physiological responses of emotion, such as the probe startle blink reflex and skin conductance response, facial EMG indicative of an emotional response (such as smiling and frowning), heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. Indices of central nervous system activation are obtained through event-related and slow-wave potentials recorded using high-density electroencephalography (EEG), as well as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), during exposure to emotional stimuli. An additional interest is to describe the social-cognitive variables, such as exercise self-efficacy and perceived social support for physical activity, that may predict physical activity behavior (measured via accelerometer) in patients diagnosed with anxiety and/or mood disorders.

Recent Publications
Recent Publications

Crabbe, J. B., Smith, J.C., and Dishman, R. K. (2007). Emotional and electrocortical responses during affective picture viewing after exercise. Physiology & Behavior, 90, 394-404. Available online 20 November 2006.

Smith, J.C., Loew, A., Bradley, M.M., & Lang, P. J. (2006). Rapid picture presentation and affective engagement. Emotion 6, 208-214.

Smith, J.C. & Cook, D.B. (2005). Methodology in psychophysiological studies of physical activity. Invited paper for a special issue, Five Decades of Sport and Exercise Psychology: A Festschrift for William P. Morgan. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 3, 534-553.

Smith, J.C. & Motl, R. W. (2005). Electromyographic indices of neuromuscular reflexes. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 3, 322-337.

Smith, J.C., Bradley, M.M. & Lang, P.J. (2005). State anxiety and affective physiology: Effects of sustained exposure to affective pictures. Biological Psychology, 69, 247-260.

Smith, J.C., & O'Connor, P.J. (2003). Physical activity does not disturb the measurement of startle and corrugator responses during affective picture viewing. Biological Psychology, 63(3), 293-310.

Smith, J.C., O'Connor, P.J., Crabbe, J.B., and Dishman, R.K. (2002). Emotional responsiveness after low- and moderate-intensity exercise and seated rest. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 34(7), 1158-1167.

Homa, D., Smith, C., Macak, C., Johovich, J., & Osorio, D. (2001). Recognition of facial prototypes: The importance of categorical structure and degree of learning. Journal of Memory and Language, 44, 443-474.

Smith, J.C. and Crabbe, J.B. (2000). Emotion and exercise. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 31, 156-174.

O'Connor, P.J., Smith, J.C., and Morgan, W.P. (2000). Physical activity does not provoke panic attacks in patients with panic disorder: A review of the evidence. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 13, 333-353.

O'Connor, P.J. & Smith, J.C. (1999). Using mood to optimize endurance training and prevent staleness. Vlaams tijdschrift voor Sportgeneeskunde & Sportwetenschappen (Flemish Journal of Sportsmedicine and Sportscience), 80(3), 14-19.

O'Connor, P.J. and Smith, J.C. (1999). Physical activity and eating disorders. In Rippe, J.M. (Ed.), Lifestyle Medicine. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Boston, 1005-1115.

Cook, D.B., O'Connor, P.J., Eubanks, S., Smith, J.C., and Lee, M. (1997). Naturally occurring muscle pain during exercise: Assessment and experimental evidence. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exericse, 29, 999-1012.

Homa, D., Goldhardt, B., Burruel-Homa, L. and Smith, J.C. (1993). The influence of manipulated category knowledge on prototype classification and recognition. Memory and Cognition, 21, 529-538.

Articles submitted or in preparation

Crabbe, J.B., Smith, J.C., and Dishman, R.K. (submitted). Emotional and electrocortical responses during affective picture viewing after exercise. Physiology & Behavior.

Smith, J.C., McTeague, L., Low, A., Laplante, M.C., Perlman, G., Strauss, C., Bradley, M.M., & Lang, P.J. (in preparation). Emotional reactivity of depressed and non-depressed anxiety disorder patients during rapid serial presentation

Smith, J.C., Bradley, M.M., & Lang, P.J. (in preparation). The psychophysiology of emotion: Effects of physical activity history and negative affect.

Keil, A., Smith, J.C., Wangelin, B., Bradley, M.M., Sabatinelli, D., & Lang, P.J. (in preparation). A method for reliable single trial analysis of steady-state visual evoked potentials.

Smith, J.C., Keil, A., Wangelin, B., Bradley, M.M., Sabatinelli, D., & Lang, P.J. (in preparation). Single trial analysis of steady-state visual evoked potentials and fMRI BOLD responses: effects of emotional arousal.

Crabbe, J. B., Smith, J. C., and Dishman, R. K. (2007). Emotional and electrocortical responses during affective picture viewing after exercise. Physiology & Behavior, 90, 394-404. Available online 20 November 2006.

Smith, J.C., Löw, A., Bradley, M. M., & Lang, P. J. (2006). Rapid picture presentation and affective engagement. Emotion, 6, 208-214.

Speaker Topics 
Physical Activity and Mental Health
Physiology of Emotion

Education
Ph.D., Exercise Science (Specialization: Exercise Psychology),
University of Georgia
B.S. Psychology & Exercise Science, Arizona State University