Dr. Nikolova’s research focuses on dyadic decision making, interpersonal relationships, consumers’ self-control, and interventions to promote healthy eating. Dr. Nikolova’s dissertation was the first work to examine how pairs of people make joint self-control decisions where they have to decide between instant gratification and bigger, long-term benefits (e.g., married couples deciding together whether to save their money for retirement or splurge with a luxurious vacation).