BU PRO Lab
At the BU PRO Lab, we conduct research in sport, exercise, and performance psychology. Our overarching goal is to develop a comprehensive research program to inform the development of applied interventions on the science of performance recovery and optimization across domains. We are eclectic in our approach to research and use a variety of quantitative, qualitative, and psychophysiological methods to study how individuals and teams reach and sustain optimal levels of performance and well-being.
Our applied research projects focus on three broad and interrelated areas:
Psycho-Bio-Social Recovery and Wellbeing
We study applied recovery strategies that promote well-being and resilience and that, in turn, minimize overtraining, anxiety, mental fatigue, injury, and other suboptimal psycho-bio-social experiences. We are also interested in how optimal recovery-stress balance can help individuals and teams navigate difficult transitions and “change events.”
Performance Optimization
Through mixed-methods and multimodal psychophysiological monitoring, we study how individuals reach and sustain peak performance states. Our research in this area aims to advance mental skills and bio-neurofeedback training methods to help individuals perform consistently at peak level.
Teams Dynamics
We examine how teammates build “team chemistry” through the development of cohesion, collective efficacy, and team mental models. We also study how teammates find and fine-tune their Shared Zones of Optimal Functioning (SZOF) to optimize team momentum and promote positive leader-follower dynamics. By advancing knowledge on how high-performing teams grow and function, we aim to develop interventions to optimize team learning and performance.
The BU Performance Recovery and Optimization (PRO) Lab was established in Fall 2020 by Dr. Edson Filho.