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Prospective students - schedule an online meeting with Dr. Huo

Research Interests

Interests: Empathy, Altruism, Social Relationships, Health, Gerontology

Life Phases: Late Adulthood

Dr. Huo’s research focuses on how and why older adults help other people, and how these helping behaviors may contribute to older adults’ resilience in the face of age-related declines and promote successful aging. She is also interested in empathy in late life. Her work relies on self-report data, daily and ecological momentary assessments, biomarker data, geocoded data, objective assessments of physical activity, and real-life observational data. Dr. Huo’s research has been published in top-tier journals such as The Gerontologist, The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, and Journal of Marriage and Family.

Dr. Huo is accepting applications from undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in aging and would like to gain research experience in her lab.

Education
Ph.D., Human Development and Family Sciences (Portfolio: Aging and Health). The University of Texas at Austin, 2019

B.S., Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 2014

Faculty CV

Selected Accomplishments
 

APA DIV 20 Dissertation Award in Psych and Aging

Principal Investigator, UC Davis Subcontract ($15,000) of the NIA R01 entitled “Social Networks and Well-being in Late Life: A Study of Daily Mechanisms” (R01AG046460, 2016–2021; PI: Karen Fingerman, PhD)

Harrington Dissertation Fellow, Donald D. Harrington Fellowship (Highest honors; $40,000)
 

Grants

2021-2023 Principal Investigator, National Institute on Aging funded R21 (grant # R21AG069045-01A1), entitled “Empathy, Support Exchanges, and Well-being in Older Couples Coping With Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease” (Total costs: $424,269)

2021-2023 Principal Investigator, UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center Pilot Grant entitled “Empathy in Couples Coping with Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease: Implications for Unmet Needs and Well-being” (Submitted, Apr 2021; Total costs: $88,512)

Selected Publications

Huo, M., Kim, K., & Haghighat, M. D.* (2023). Changes in self-perceptions of aging among Black and White older adults: The role of volunteering. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 78(5), 830–840. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbad007

Huo, M., & Kim, K. (2023). Lasting impact of relationships on caregiving difficulties, burden, and rewards. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075221118095 

Huo, M., Kim, K., & Wang, D. (2023). Long-term psychological consequences of parental bereavement prior to midlife: Volunteering helps. Aging and Mental Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2022.2087209 

Huo, M., Kim, K., & Han, S. H. (2022). The impact of marital quality as older couples adjust to dementia onset. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab235

Wood, K. A.*, Kim, Y., Ng, Y. T.*, Huo, M., & Fingerman, K. L. (2022). Black and White young adults’ support to midlife parents. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab205

Fingerman, K. L., Kim, Y. K., Ng, Y. T.*, Zhang, S.*, Huo, M., & Birditt, K. S. (2022). Television viewing, physical activity, and loneliness in late life. The Gerontologist. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnab120

Huo, M., & Kim, K. (2022). Volunteering dynamics and life satisfaction: Self-perceptions of aging as a buffer. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab104  

Ng, Y. T.*, Huo, M., Han, S. H., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2022). Older adult’s
marital status, conversation and well-being in everyday life. The Journals of
Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Advance online
publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbab112

Huo, M., Miller, L. M. S., Kim, K., & Liu, S. (2021). Volunteering, self-perceptions of
aging, and mental health in later life. The Gerontologist. Advance online publication.
https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaa164

Huo, M., Ng, Y. T.*, Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2021). Empathy and coping:
Older adults’ interpersonal tensions and mood throughout the day. Gerontology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1159/000511418

Huo, M., Ng, Y. T.*, Fuentecilla, J. L., Leger, K., & Charles, S. T. (2021). Positive
encounters as a buffer: Pain and sleep disturbances in older adults’ everyday lives.
Journal of Aging and Health, 33(1-2), 75 –85.
https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0898264320958320

Huo, M., Han, S. H., Kim, K., & Choi, J.* (in press). Functional limitations, volunteering
and diurnal cortisol patterns in older adults. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B:
Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Advance online publication.
https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa104

Ng, Y. T.*, Huo, M., Gleason, M., Neff, L., & Fingerman, K. L. (in press). Friendships in
old age: Daily encounters and emotional well-being. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Advance online publication.
https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa007

Fuentecilla, J. L., Liu, Y., Huo, M., Kim, K., Birditt, K. S., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L.
(in press). Midlife adults’ daily support to children and parents: Implications for diurnal
cortisol. Journal of Aging and Health. Advance online publication.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264319863994

Huo, M., Fuentecilla, J. L., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (in press). Empathy and close social ties in late life. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz044

Huo, M., Fuentecilla, J. L., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Does empathy have a cost?: Older adults and social partners experiencing problems. The Gerontologist, 60, 617–627. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnz065

Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M., & Birditt, K. (2020). Mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons: Gender differences in adults’ intergenerational ties. Journal of Family Issues. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0192513X19894369

Fuentecilla, J. L., Huo, M., Birditt, K. S., Charles, S. T., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Interpersonal tensions and pain among older adults: The mediating role of negative mood. Research on Aging, 42, 105–114. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0164027519884765

Huo, M., Napolitano, L., Furstenberg, F. F. Jr., & Fingerman, K. L. (2020). Who initiates the help older parents give to midlife children. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 75, 907–918. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz098

Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M., & Birditt, K. (2020). A decade of research on intergenerational ties: Technological, economic, political and demographic changes. Journal of Marriage and Family, 82, 383–403. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf12604 10.

Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M., Charles, S. T., & Umberson, D. J. (2020). Variety is the spice of late life: Social integration and daily activity. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 75, 377–388. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz007

Huo, M., Fuentecilla, J. L., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2019). Older adults’ empathy and daily support exchanges. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36, 3814–3834. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0265407519837372

Huo, M., Graham, J. L., Kim, K., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2019). Aging parents’ daily support exchanges with adult children experiencing problems. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 74, 449–459. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbx079

Huo, M., Graham, J. L., Kim, K., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018). Aging parents’ disabilities and daily support exchanges with middle-aged children. The Gerontologist, 58, 872–882. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnx144

Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M., Graham, J. L., Kim, K., & Birditt, K. S. (2018). A family affair: Family typologies of problems and midlife well-being. The Gerontologist, 58, 1054–1064. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnx131

Huo, M., Kim, K., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018). Support grandparents give to their adult grandchildren. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 73, 1006–1015. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbw208