Interests
My goal is to understand cognitive processes involved in conflict, forgiveness and prayer in close relationships. I also investigate emerging adulthood, focusing particularly on school burnout, hooking up, and friends with benefits. Recently, I have integrated hemodynamic and cardiac functioning into my research to understand how the processes I study impact health. I am also passionate about mentoring junior faculty and graduate students.
Education
My academic training took place on 3 different continents giving me a variety of perspectives.
- B.A. Psychology, Social Anthropology (University of Natal, South Africa)
- M.A. Developmental Psychology (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa)
- Ph.D. Social psychology (Oxford University, England)
- Postdoctoral training, Clinical psychology (Stony Brook University, N.Y. )
Publications and Other Scholarly Activities
Published over 300 articles in flagship disciplinary and interdisciplinary journals including:
- Journal of Marriage and Family
- American Psychologist
- Psychological Bulletin
- Psychological Science
- Archives of Sexual Behavior
Accomplishments
- Fellow, National Council of Family Relations, and 5 other professional societies
- 2005-present, Eminent Scholar (Mack and Effie Campbell Tyner Eminent Scholar)
- 2002-2005 , State University of New York Distinguished Professor
- Listed among top 25 psychologists in the world ( # of citations per published article)
- Distinguished Career Award, International Association for Relationship Research
- Ernest Burgess Award for “continuous and meritorious contributions to theory and research,” National Council of Family Relations
- President’s Award for “Distinguished contributions to psychological knowledge,” British Psychological Society
- Berscheid-Hatfield Career Award for “sustained, substantial, and distinguished contributions to the field of personal relationships” Int. Soc. for Relationship Research
- Rhodes Scholar
- Ranked in top 0.05% of all scholars worldwide by Scholar GPS