Our Team
Principal Investigator
Olga Dal Monte
Dal Monte’s research focuses on understanding the neural substrates involved in complex social behavior such as social decision making and social interactions. She addresses these questions utilizing interdisciplinary theoretical principles and behavioral, physiological, and electrophysiological measurements to complement and extend our understanding of how the brain computes social behaviors. Currently, her research activity focuses on studying both dynamic brain regions coordination and brain-to-brain interactions and synchronization during real-time ecologically valid interactive paradigms. Taking a multi-pronged approach, she overall aims to provide novel basic neuroscientific insights to better inform the mechanisms underlying social dysfunctions and, in the long run, to suggest novel treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders.
Post-Doc
Alessandro Mazza
Alessandro received his Master’s Degree in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Turin. He holds a Ph.D. degree which he defended in 2025 with a thesis titled “Virtual Realities, Real-World Impacts: Psychophysiological Responses to Environmental Cues in Virtual Reality”. His research interests include the behavioral and neurophysiological aspects of social cognition, with specific focus on social decision making and neurophysiological synchronization. He particularly enjoys signal processing and data analysis.
Ph.D. Students
Lucia De Francesco
Lucia received her Master’s Degree in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Turin. Her research interests include the influence of social factors on behavior and physiological activation, through real and virtual settings, with particular attention to cooperation and competition mechanisms. She is now focused on studying social anxiety and Hikikomori populations. She is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in Sustainable Development and Cooperation at the University of Turin.
Giulia Romano Cappi
Giulia received her Master’s Degree in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Turin. Her research interests include psychophysiological aspects of social cognition in neurotypical and neurodivergent populations, and neurophysiological synchronization. She has started developing an interest for data analysis. She is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in Sustainable Development and Cooperation and the University of Turin.
Research Assistants
Current
Greta Bonino
Greta received her Master’s Degree in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Turin. Her research interests include the behavioral and neurophysiological aspects of dyadic interaction, particularly interpersonal distance and affective touch. During her internship she developed and still has a strong interest in neurological and neurodivergent patients.
Francesca Capiotto
Francesca received her Master’s Degree in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Turin. Her research interests include the behavioral and psychophysiological aspects of social behavior within neurotypical and neurodivergent populations, with particular attention to affective touch and interoception. She received the qualification as a psychologist and she is now attending the school of psychotherapy.
Past
Alessandro Valvo
Alessandro received his Master’s Degree in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Turin. His research interests were mainly focused on social decision making and electroencephalography. He is pursuing his Ph.D. in Bern (Switzerland).
Ilaria Mirlisenna
Ilaria received her Master’s Degree in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Turin. Her research interests include behavioral and neurophysiological aspects of dyadic interaction, specifically interpersonal distance and social modulation of pain perception. She also has a strong interest for data analysis. She is pursuing her Ph.D. in Trento (Italy).
Monia Cariola
Monia received her Master’s Degree in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Turin. Her research interests include neurophysiological synchrony during dyadic interaction, specifically social touch and behavioral aspect of social interaction, as interpersonal distance. She is a research assistant in Amsterdam (Netherlands).
Master Students
Current
Alessia Podo
Alessia graduated in 2023 with a bachelor thesis titled: “L’interazione sociale: uno studio psicofisiologico in Realtà Virtuale”. She is currently working on her master thesis on Virtual Reality and the impact of cooperation and competition across age.
Paolo Raiano
Paolo is currently working on his master thesis on neural synchronization during triadic creative idea generation.
Nicole Tagliaferro
Bianca Bagnasco
Rosy Bolognesi
Simone Tarditi
Simone is currently working on his master thesis on physiological bio-feedback
Teodora Petrea
Teodora is currently working on her master thesis on children at risk of developing ASD.
Martina Ducco
Past
Giuseppe Pica
Giuseppe graduated in 2020 with a master thesis titled: “Social touch: your pupils speak”.
Luca Melchionda
Luca graduated in 2020 with a master thesis titled: “Social touch and attachment: the effects of parental care on perception of affective touch”.
Federica Ghiggi
Federica graduated in 2021 with a master thesis titled: “Brain asymmetries in autism spectrum disorder: looking for a biomarker”.
Serena Fedele
Serena graduated in 2021 with a master thesis titled: “The complexity of social attention investigated with five different paradigms”.
Alessandro Demaestri
Alessandro graduated in 2022 with a master thesis titled: “Affective touch: the impact of emotional bonding and eye contact on the one generating the touch”.
Silvia Mantellino
Silvia graduated in 2022 with a master thesis titled: “The role of romantic support during pain stimulation”.
Virginia Murino
Virginia graduated in 2022 with a master thesis titled: “Together is better than alone: evidence of a social facilitation effect”.
Matilde Sorrenti
Matilde graduated in 2023 with a master thesis titled: “Beyond the competition and cooperation dichotomy: an integrative proposal”.
Daniele Petracchini
Daniele graduated in 2023 with a master thesis titled: “The power of happiness: how emotions affect the self and other”.
Alessia Prete
Alessia graduated in 2023 with a master thesis titled: “Physiological synchronization in romantic partners”.
Marta Campagnola
Marta graduated in 2023 with a master thesis titled: “The neural representation of prosocial and altruistic behavior: an EEG study”.
Selene Dorin
Selene graduated in 2023 with a master thesis titled: “Being social: psychophysiological study of social interaction in Virtual Reality”.
Cecilia Mattio
Cecilia graduated in 2023 with a master thesis titled: “At the heart of Autism Spectrum Disorder: the role of interoception”.
Chiara Milano
Chiara graduated in 2023 with a master thesis titled: “In touch with Autism Spectrum Disorder: understanding the role of affective touch in ASD”.
Claudia Rosso
Claudia graduated in 2024 with a master thesis titled: “Normality and atypicality compared: a study on perception of the other”.
Giorgia Ferrero
Giorgia graduated in 2024 with a master thesis titled: “Exploring the impact of social anxiety, autistic traits, and attachment style on interpersonal distance”.
Mariateresa Migliano
Mariateresa graduated in 2024 with a master thesis titled: “Impaired social interactions: a psychophysiological study on anxious behavior in Virtual Reality”.
Chiara Campini
Chiara graduated in 2024 with a master thesis titled: “Virtual Reality and social influence: a comparative analysis of cooperation and competition in the stroop test”.
Lucia Martino
Lucia graduated in 2025 with a master thesis titled: “Social Interaction in Autism Spectrum Disorder: a psychophysiology study in Virtual Reality”.
Shantale Siyoni
Shantale graduated in 2025 with a master thesis titled: “Psychophysiological Responses to Simulated Social Interactions: A Virtual Reality Study”.
Veronica Atzei
Veronica graduated in 2025 with a master thesis titled: “Neurodinamiche della cooperazione. Sincronizzazione neurale e interazione di gruppo in un contesto naturalistico”.
Erasmus Students
Ertaç Yılmaz Beşpınarlı
Ertaç worked with us on physiological synchronization in romantic couples
Internship Students
Present
Camilla Mancuso
Camilla is working with us on neural synchronization during triadic creative idea generation.
Giada Collinelli
Giada is working with us on neural synchronization during triadic creative idea generation.
Past
Enrico Tamagnini
Enrico worked with us on self-deception.
Emanuele Piccione
Emanuele worked with us on interpersonal distance.
Marine Rousseau
Marine worked with us on social decision making.