We study human well-being using theory- and data-driven approaches grounded in the science of complex systems. Large-scale digital traces left by hundreds of millions, if not billions, of individuals provide a unique opportunity to model the cognitive, affective, and behavioral factors that drive human well-being. We focus in particular on internalizing disorders such as depression and anxiety, which are among the leading causes of disability worldwide, imposing a significant socioeconomic burden. These disorders are associated with disruptions in sleep-wake rhythms, as well as affective and cognitive changes towards maladaptive thought patterns, which can be detected from large-scale text data. Moving from the individual to the societal level, we find that cognitive distortions exhibit striking similarities with the psycho-linguistic features of online disinformation and societal polarization — worldwide phenomena that increasingly threaten democratic societies– connecting our work to an issue of substantial societal concern. 

If you are an external guest and would like to attend this talk, please email .