▁C oding ▁System ▁( SP A FF ), ▁a ▁method ▁for ▁coding ▁human ▁em otion ▁based ▁on ▁close ▁observation ▁of ▁fa cial ▁expressions — including ▁minute , ▁subt le ▁expressions ▁rarely ▁noticed ▁by ▁un tra ined ▁obser vers . ▁ ▁After ▁comple ting ▁his ▁Ph . D , ▁Co an ▁emer ged ▁as ▁a ▁leading ▁authority ▁in ▁inter person al ▁em otion ▁reg ulation . ▁Co an ▁research ed ▁hand ▁holding ▁first ▁as ▁a ▁post do ctor al ▁fellow ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Wisconsin ▁at ▁Mad ison , ▁and ▁later ▁as ▁a ▁professor ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Virginia . ▁Using ▁functional ▁Mag net ic ▁Res on ance ▁Im aging , ▁Co an ▁showed ▁that ▁holding ▁hands ▁with ▁a ▁sp ouse ▁rel ieved ▁subjects ' ▁anx iety ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁anticip ated ▁thre ats , ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁degree ▁of ▁relief ▁correl ated ▁posit ively ▁with ▁self - report ed ▁relationship ▁quality . ▁This ▁work ▁attract ed ▁international ▁media ▁attention , ▁leading ▁to ▁a ▁T ED ▁T alk ▁and ▁a ▁rec urr ing ▁on - camera ▁gig ▁as ▁a ▁science ▁expert ▁on ▁National ▁Geographic ▁Network ' s ▁Bra in ▁Games ▁science ▁series . ▁Co an ▁appeared ▁in ▁nine ▁episodes ▁of ▁Bra in ▁Games ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁seasons . ▁ ▁Co an ▁attract ed ▁additional ▁national ▁press ▁coverage ▁for ▁rep lic ating ▁the ▁so othing ▁effect ▁of ▁sp ous al ▁hand hold ing ▁with ▁committed ▁same - sex ▁cou ples ▁, ▁and ▁for ▁showing ▁similar