University at Buffalo (UB)
Katelyn A. Carr
Katelyn A. Carr
Assistant Professor
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Behavioral Medicine; Behavioral Neuroscience; Pediatrics; Public Health
Professional Summary:
Katelyn Carr, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics. Her research centers on using experimental methods and behavioral economics to study decision making in children and adults to improve health choices. Her current research focuses on studying how choices influence the reinforcing value of food, including non-food alternative reinforcers. She also examines decision making in children, including delay discounting and how innovations in episodic future thinking can improve delayed choices.
Education and Training:
- Fellowship, Postdoctoral Fellow, University at Buffalo (2020)
- PhD, Neuroscience, University at Buffalo (2015)
- BA, Psychology, University at Buffalo (2008)
- BS, Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo (2008)
Employment:
- Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, University at Buffalo (2023-present)
- Senior Research Scientist, Pediatrics, University at Buffalo (2020–2023)
Awards and Honors:
- Selected for Young Investigator Lightning Presentation (2019)
Research Expertise:
- Childhood obesity Risk and Protective factors: Examining the role of individual differences and home environment on childhood obesity risk
- Reinforcing Value: Using laboratory and questionnaire methods to measure motivation for a variety of reinforcers, including food, physical activities and sedentary activities in children and adults
UB 2020 Strategic Strengths:
- Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan
Journal Articles:
- Carr KA, Black W, Guth C, Shapiro L, Leone LA, Temple JL, Epstein LH. (2023) Reinforcing value of food, enriched home environment, and changes in percent overweight in children. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) (Apr), 31(4): 1075-1084.
- Kong KL, Eiden RD, Morris KS, Paluch RA, Carr KA, Epstein LH. (2022) Reducing relative food reinforcement of infants using a music enrichment program: a randomized, controlled trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition (Dec), 116(6): 1642-1653. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqac209
- Bickel WK, Tegge AN, Carr KA, Epstein LH. (2021) Reinforcer pathology's alternative reinforcer hypothesis: A preliminary examination. Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association (Dec), 40(12): 881-886. doi:10.1037/hea0001031
- Epstein LH, Carr KA. (2021) Food reinforcement and habituation to food are processes related to initiation and cessation of eating. Physiology & behavior (Oct), 239: 113512. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113512
- Epstein LH, Carr KA, Guth C, Shapiro L, Leone LA, Temple JL. (2021) The enriched home environment and dietary intake are related to percent overBMI in children. Preventive medicine reports (Sep), 23: 101440. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101440
- Carr KA, Hollis-Hansen K, Austin K, Epstein LH. (2021) Written or drawn episodic future thinking cues improves delay discounting in adults. Learning and motivation (May), 74. doi:10.1016/j.lmot.2021.101727
- Epstein LH, Carr KA, O'Brien A, Paluch RA, Temple JL. (2020) High reinforcing value of food is related to slow habituation to food. Eating behaviors (Aug), 38: 101414. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2020.101414
- Carr KA, Epstein LH. (2020) Choice is relative: Reinforcing value of food and activity in obesity treatment. The American psychologist (Jan), 75(2): 139-151. doi:10.1037/amp0000521
- Kong KL, Epstein LH, Phillips JK, Carr KA, Paluch RA, Gerard KS. (2018) Food and non-food reinforcement among pregnant women. Appetite (Dec), 131: 155-159.
- Martin CD, Bool HM, George AM, Carr KA, Epstein LH, Hawk LW, Richards JB. (2018) Social reinforcement as alternative to sucrose reinforcement is increased by nicotine and methylphenidate in male Fischer-344 rats. Psychopharmacology (Jul), 235(7): 1981-1985.
- Epstein LH, Paluch RA, Carr KA, Temple JL, Bickel WK, MacKillop J. (2018) Reinforcing value and hypothetical behavioral economic demand for food and their relation to BMI. Eating behaviors (Apr), 29: 120-127. doi:10.1016/j.eatbeh.2018.03.008
- Carr KA, Epstein LH. (2018) Influence of sedentary, social, and physical alternatives on food reinforcement. Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association (Feb), 37(2): 125-131. doi:10.1037/hea0000563
- Carr KA, Epstein LH. (2017) Working memory and attentional bias on reinforcing efficacy of food. Appetite (Sep), 116: 268-276. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.05.018
- Epstein LH, Carr KA, Scheid JL, Gebre E, O'Brien A, Paluch RA, Temple JL. (2015) Taste and food reinforcement in non-overweight youth. Appetite (Aug), 91: 226-32. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2015.04.050
- Epstein LH, Jankowiak N, Fletcher KD, Carr KA, Nederkoorn C, Raynor HA, Finkelstein E. (2014) Women who are motivated to eat and discount the future are more obese. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) (Jun), 22(6): 1394-9. doi:10.1002/oby.20661
- Scheid JL, Carr KA, Lin H, Fletcher KD, Sucheston L, Singh PK, Salis R, Erbe RW, Faith MS, Allison DB, Epstein LH. (2014) FTO polymorphisms moderate the association of food reinforcement with energy intake. Physiology & behavior (Jun), 132: 51-6. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.04.029
- Carr KA, Lin H, Fletcher KD, Epstein LH. (2014) Food reinforcement, dietary disinhibition and weight gain in nonobese adults. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) (Jan), 22(1): 254-9. doi:10.1002/oby.20392
- Lin H, Carr KA, Fletcher KD, Epstein LH. (2013) Food reinforcement partially mediates the effect of socioeconomic status on body mass index. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) (Jul), 21(7): 1307-12. doi:10.1002/oby.20158
- Carr KA, Lin H, Fletcher KD, Sucheston L, Singh PK, Salis RJ, Erbe RW, Faith MS, Allison DB, Stice E, Epstein LH. (2013) Two functional serotonin polymorphisms moderate the effect of food reinforcement on BMI. Behavioral neuroscience (Jun), 127(3): 387-99. doi:10.1037/a0032026
- Epstein LH, Carr KA, Lin H, Fletcher KD, Roemmich JN. (2012) Usual energy intake mediates the relationship between food reinforcement and BMI. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) (Sep), 20(9): 1815-9. doi:10.1038/oby.2012.2
- Epstein LH, Lin H, Carr KA, Fletcher KD. (2012) Food reinforcement and obesity. Psychological moderators. Appetite (Feb), 58(1): 157-62. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2011.09.025
- Carr KA, Daniel TO, Lin H, Epstein LH. (2011) Reinforcement pathology and obesity. Current drug abuse reviews (Sep), 4(3): 190-6. doi:10.2174/1874473711104030190
- Epstein LH, Carr KA, Cavanaugh MD, Paluch RA, Bouton ME. (2011) Long-term habituation to food in obese and nonobese women. The American journal of clinical nutrition (Aug), 94(2): 371-6. doi:10.3945/ajcn.110.009035
- Epstein LH, Carr KA, Lin H, Fletcher KD. (2011) Food reinforcement, energy intake, and macronutrient choice. The American journal of clinical nutrition (Jul), 94(1): 12-8. doi:10.3945/ajcn.110.010314
- Carr KA, Epstein LH. (2011) Relationship between food habituation and reinforcing efficacy of food. Learning and motivation (May), 42(2): 165-172. doi:10.1016/j.lmot.2011.01.003
- Epstein LH, Salvy SJ, Carr KA, Dearing KK, Bickel WK. (2010) Food reinforcement, delay discounting and obesity. Physiology & behavior (Jul), 100(5): 438-45. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.04.029
Professional Memberships:
- The Obesity Society (TOS) (2019–present)
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (2009–present)
Presentations:
- "Reinforcing value of food and Home Environment on Obesity in Children" Seminar Series, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurociences, McMaster University (2023)
- "Choice is relative: Reinforcing value of food and physical activity in obesity treatment" Center for Obesity Prevention and Education (COPE) seminar series, M. Louise Fitzpatrick School of Nursing, Villanova University (2020)
Service Activities:
- Chair for Division of Behavioral Medicine's scientific review; Chair, Scientific Review (2020–present)
- Appetite; Reviewer