On March 19, 2026, the Person–Environment Interaction Lab hosted a seminar by Yunlai Gui, PhD student from Prof. Thomas R. Kwapil’s lab (University of Illinois at Urbana‑Champaign), as a guest visitor at the UAB.
During the seminar, Yunlai Gui presented recent work exploring the overlap and differentiation between paranoia and social anxiety in daily life. The talk focused on how these experiences fluctuate in everyday contexts and on the importance of capturing their moment‑to‑moment expression rather than relying exclusively on trait‑level approaches. Special attention was given to shared and distinct features of paranoia and social anxiety, as well as to the relevance of studying these processes outside clinical settings.
The seminar also fostered discussion around methodological approaches for studying these phenomena in real life, particularly the use of experience sampling methodologies and intensive longitudinal designs. Promising directions for future research were discussed, including how different types of assessments may help disentangle subtle emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal dynamics associated with paranoia and social anxiety.
Overall, the visit provided a valuable opportunity for scientific exchange and collaboration, especially as both research groups are currently in the process of designing new data‑collection protocols. The discussion generated several insights that will inform ongoing and future projects focused on daily‑life processes, person–environment interactions, and transdiagnostic approaches to mental health.