Publications

Ackerman, J., Samore, T., Fessler, D., Kupfer, T., Choi, S., Merrell, W.,et al. (2025). I see sick people: Beliefs about sensory detection of infectious disease are largely consistent across cultures. Brain Behavior and Immunity. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2025.04.020

Merrell, W., Choi, S., Ackerman, J. (2024). When and why people conceal infectious disease. Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976231221990

Choi, S., Merrell, W., Ackerman, J. (2023). Safety first, but for whom? Shifts in risk perception for self and others following COVID-19 vaccination. Social and Personality Psychological Compass. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12757

Choi, S., Merrell, W., Ackerman, J. (2022). Keep your distance: Different roles for knowledge and affect in predicting social distancing behavior. Journal of Health Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591053211067100

Ackerman, J., Merrell, W., Choi, S. (2020). What people believe about detecting infectious disease using the senses. Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cresp.2020.100002

Selected work under review/in preparation

Fan, L.*, Merrell, W.* (in preparation). From Axis to Interface: A functional model of Behavioral-Physiological Immune Tuning

Merrell, W., Meyer, M., Sabree, K., Gonzalez, R., Ackerman, J. (In preparation). Prevalence and predictors of disease concealment across 22 countries.

Ackerman, J., Merrell, W. (In preparation). Fear of exclusion and exploitation as distinct drivers of infectious disease concealment.

Fan, L., Merrell, W., Donner, M., Ackerman, J., Tybur, J. (in preparation). Risking sickness for thee but not for me: Interpersonal value drives illness concealment and infection-risky contact decisions.

* Represents equally shared first authorship