I'm a docent in psychology, studying environmental intolerances and human judgment processes.
I am a teacher and researcher at the Department of Psychology. My main research interest concerns a phenomenon known as environmental intolerance. Those affected react strongly to odors, sounds, lighting conditions, and other environmental exposures that others have no problems tolerating. Sufferers may thus develop symptoms from perfumes, cleaning agents, or a colleague’s scented shampoo, which is referred to as chemical intolerance. Individuals with sound intolerance or hyperacusis may instead react to the hum of an office fan, the rustling of paper, or the clatter of cutlery — that is, everyday soundscapes. Environmental intolerances are surprisingly common, yet we still know little about their underlying causes. Throughout my career, I have attempted to understand which exposures trigger symptoms, which bodily processes underlie these reactions, and what might help alleviate the symptoms. These questions have also sparked an interest in other types of heightened reactions, leading me to conduct research on, for example, exhaustion-related problems and pain.
I also study human decision-making. There is a widespread (at least historically) belief that humans are intuitively rational — that we consider and weigh all relevant information when making decisions. While we are not incapable of such calculations, it seems more common that we simplify the decision-making process. I have tried to figure out how these simplifications can best be described, for example by examining the underlying neural processes using functional brain imaging, and I also explore whether decision-making skills can be trained. This has led to projects where I investigate everyday decision-making. How do people understand the problems they encounter in life? What strategies do they use to solve them?
Keywords: Human chemical senses, Environmental intolerances, Chemical intolerance, Sound sensitivity, Psychophysics, Psychophysiology, Cognitive and biological psychology, Human decision-making
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Linus_Andersson2