Position Title
Assistant Professor
- Human Development & Family Studies
Research Interests
Interests: Empathy, Altruism, Social Relationships, Health, Gerontology
Life Phases: Late Adulthood
Dr. Huo’s research focuses on how and why older adults help other people, and how these helping behaviors may contribute to older adults’ resilience in the face of age-related declines and promote successful aging. She is also interested in empathy in late life. Her work relies on self-report data, daily and ecological momentary assessments, biomarker data, geocoded data, objective assessments of physical activity, and real-life observational data. Dr. Huo’s research has been published in top-tier journals such as The Gerontologist, The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, and Journal of Marriage and Family.
Dr. Huo is accepting applications from undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in aging and would like to gain research experience in her lab.
Select Publications
Huo, M., Miller, L. M. S., Kim, K., & Liu, S. (accepted). Volunteering, self-perceptions of aging, and mental health in later life. The Gerontologist.
Huo, M., Ng, Y. T.*, Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (accepted). Empathy and coping: Older adults’ interpersonal tensions and mood throughout the day. Gerontology.
Huo, M., Han, S. H., Kim, K., & Choi, J.* (in press). Functional limitations, volunteering and diurnal cortisol patterns in older adults. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa104
Huo, M., Napolitano, L., Furstenberg, F. F. Jr., & Fingerman, K. L. (in press). Who initiates the help older parents give to midlife children. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz098
Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M., & Birditt, K. (in press). A decade of research on intergenerational ties: Technological, economic, political and demographic changes. Journal of Marriage and Family. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf12604
Huo, M., Fuentecilla, J. L., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (in press). Does empathy have a cost?: Older adults and social partners experiencing problems. The Gerontologist. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnz065
Huo, M., Fuentecilla, J. L., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (in press). Empathy and close social ties in late life. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz044
Huo, M., Fuentecilla, J. L., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2019). Older adults’ empathy and daily support exchanges. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36, 3814–3834. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0265407519837372
Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M., Charles, S. T., & Umberson, D. J. (in press). Variety is the spice of late life: Social integration and daily activity. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz007
Huo, M., Graham, J. L., Kim, K., Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2019). Aging parents’ daily support exchanges with adult children experiencing problems. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 74, 449–459. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbx079
Huo, M., Graham, J. L., Kim, K., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018). Aging parents’ disabilities and daily support exchanges with middle-aged children. The Gerontologist, 58, 872–882. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnx144
Fingerman, K. L., Huo, M., Graham, J. L., Kim, K., & Birditt, K. S. (2018). A family affair: Family typologies of problems and midlife well-being. The Gerontologist, 58, 1054–1064. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnx131
Huo, M., Kim, K., Zarit, S. H., & Fingerman, K. L. (2018). Support grandparents give to their adult grandchildren. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 73, 1006–1015. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbw208
Education
Ph.D., Human Development and Family Sciences (Portfolio: Aging and Health). The University of Texas at Austin, 2019
B.S., Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 2014