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Interpersonal Relationships
Lab
My research interests center around interpersonal relationships
in three areas:
Relationship Dynamics. Much of
my research has examined the basic psychological processes involved
in the formation, maintenance, and dissolution of personal and
social relationships. Specific areas of focus include social rejection,
betrayal, overinclusion, and mate selection.
Individual Differences in Relationships.
Our research on individual differences primarily involves an exploration
of the interface between individual difference variables and the
quantity/quality of important social and personal relationships.
Recent projects in this area have focused on gender differences
in relationships, personality traits and relationships, and self-regulation.
Assessment of Personality and Relationships.
This line of research is devoted to the development and validation
of psychometrically sound research instruments with which to measure
relevant constructs of personality and relationships. Measures
currently being developed include a Need to Belong Scale, Perceived
Peer Rejection Scale, and Relational Value Scale.
I often collaborate with graduate and undergraduate
students on research projects. I have a group of students
who meet regularly during the semester (see our picture below).
To give you an idea of the topics we research, below you will
find a list of master's theses and senior honors
theses. I have included a list of lab alumni
so you can see what some of my former students are doing now.
Check out the links to professional organizations,
too. Finally, if you want more information about lab, my contact
info is provided.
Meet Our Lab!
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Fall 2007 Lab
(L to R) Kris Kelly, Laura Page, Adam Carton, Mindy Sharp,
Ray Serra, Lisa Petesch, Kendra Pugh, Kristen Oates, David
Aguirre, Amy Smith, Matt Findley
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Thesis Projects
Anderson, A. (2007). Goals and relationships:
Teaching goal setting to reduce the influence of interdependence
on women's career and educational choices. Master's thesis,
Western Illinois University.
Boo, J. (2004). Feeling phony in social
situations: Development of the Social Imposter Scale. Senior
honors thesis, Western Illinois University.
Christopher, K. (2003). Development
of the Attitudes Toward Nontraditional Relationships Scale.
Master’s thesis, Western Illinois University.
Cloninger, A. (2002).
Shop until you feel better: The role of consumer behavior in regulating
mood. Master’s thesis, Western Illinois University.
Cooper, D. P. (2006). The effect
of ostracism on worldview defense in response to mortality reminders:
A terror management perspective. Master's thesis, Western
Illinois University.
DiCianni, A. (2000). Attachment
and intimacy in parent-child and romantic relationships.
Senior honors thesis, Western Illinois University.
Drane, S. (2005). Quality of
father-child relationship as a predictor of reactions to rejection.
Senior honors thesis, Western Illinois University.
Gillet, A. (2003). Getting
to know me: Self-awareness and regulation of the self's
resources. Senior honors thesis, Western Illinois University.
Jobe, R. L. (1999). The effects
of context and disposition on reactions to social rejection.
Master’s thesis, Western Illinois University.
Karaffa, M. A. (2000). The
effects of female waist-to-hip ratio, weight, and personality
on male mate selection. Master’s thesis, Western Illinois
University.
Keowen, D. (2007). Perceptions
of divorce: College students' and their parents' retrospective
accounts. Senior honors thesis, Western Illinois University.
Koscova, K. (2005). Recovering
from rejection: Apology, future inclusion, and restoring threatened
needs. Senior honors thesis, Western Illinois University.
Koscova, K. (2007). Restoring
threatened belongingness needs after romantic rejection.
Master's thesis, Western Illinois University.
Lifka, A. M. (2002). Fine-tuning
the sociometer: Effects of reason for rejection and personal importance
to the self on reactivity to social rejection. Master’s
thesis, Western Illinois University.
Markunas, S. (2003). When
being included is aversive: Satiation, ego-depletion, and
the regulation of belongingness needs. Master’s thesis,
Western Illinois University.
McIntyre, L. (2005). Promoting
the cultural worldview: Reminders of death and endorsement of
religious values. Senior honors thesis, Western Illinois
University.
McIntyre, L. (2007). Religion
and terror management: Examining the effects of extrinsic religiosity
on worldview defense.
Miller, R. L. (2005). Motivated
crying: Implications for regulating belongingness needs.
Master's thesis, Western Illinois University.
Nelson, A. (2000). Women’s
belief in rape myths. Senior honors thesis, Western Illinois
University
Nelson, A. (2002). Recovering
from rejection: Self-knowledge organization as a means for
re-establishing threatened needs. Master’s thesis,
Western Illinois University.
Norwick, M. (2005). Sex and
money: Resources for satisfying belongingness needs. Senior
honors thesis, Western Illinois University.
Otto, K. L. (2007). Group membership
as a moderator of antisocial responses to exclusion. Master's
thesis, Western Illinois University.
Plummer, K. M. (1999). Factors
influencing perceptions of gender stereotypes in magazine advertisements.
Senior honors thesis, Western Illinois University.
Plummer, K. M. (2000). Evolutionary
factors mediating sexual receptivity. Master’s thesis,
Western Illinois University.
Schelling, C. M. (1999). A
biological, psychological, and social assessment of health risk
behaviors. Master’s thesis, Western Illinois University.
Schlomer, G. (2005). Parent-adolescent
conflict over mate choices: Dating perceptions, mate value, and
future uncertainty. Master's thesis, Western Illinois University.
Suellentrop, L. (2007). The
effects of parental divorce and social exclusion on self-regulation,
psychological needs, and state affect in adult children of divorce.
Senior honors thesis, Western Illinois University.
Tee, A. J. (2005). The effect
of strategic lies on belongingness threat. Master's thesis,
Western Illinois University.
Watkins, J. D. (2002). Development
of the Power Satisfaction Scale. Master’s thesis,
Western Illinois University.
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Lab Alumni
Kara Christopher (2001-2003). Master's student
in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2003). Currently project manager
for the Komen Kiosk Project at St. Louis University, School
of Public Health, St. Louis, MO.
Doug Cooper (2004-2006). Master's student
in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2006). Currently doctoral student
in social psychology at the University of South Florida, Tampa,
FL.
Renee Countryman (1999-2000). Master’s
student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2002; Ph.D. from Tulane
University, 2004). Currently post-doctoral researcher in Behavioral
Neuroscience at the University of Illinois, Champaign, IL.
Rebecca Jobe (1997-1999). Master’s
student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 1999; Ph.D. from University
of Tennessee, 2003). Currently Director of the Psychology Doctoral
Program, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN.
Melissa Karaffa (1999-2000).
Master's student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2000).
Currently research associate at Northwestern University Hospital,
Chicago, IL.
Audra Lifka (1998-2000). Master’s
student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2002). Currently market
analyst for Cybertarget Internet Service Provider, Los Angeles,
CA.
Susan Markunas (2001-2003)
Master's student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2003).
Currently doctoral student in Experimental Psychology at DePaul
University, Chicago, IL.
Rebecca Miller (2004-2005). Master's
student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2005). Currently adjunct
psychology instructor, Western Illinois University.
Anna Nelson (2001-2002). Master’s
student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2002). Currently master's
student in Business Administration at the State University of
New York, Buffalo, NY.
Robert Piasecki (1999-2001). Master’s
student in Experimental Psychology. Currently doctoral student
in Social Psychology at the University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
Kelly Plummer (1999-2000). Master’s
student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2000; J.D. from St. Louis
University Law School, 2003). Currently attorney in St. Louis,
MO.
Christina Schelling (1997-1999).
Master’s student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 1999).
Currently doctoral student in School Psychology at the University
of Iowa, Iowa City, IA.
Gabriel Schlomer (2003-2005). Master's
student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2005). Currently doctoral
student in Human Development at the University of Arizona, Tucson,
AZ.
Kathleen Schneider (1997-1998).
Master’s student in Experimental Psychology (M.S.W. from
University of Wisconsin, 2000). Currently patient advocate at
St. Luke’s Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI.
Angela Tee (2003-2005). Master's
student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2005). Currently research
assistant at Waubonsee Community College, Office of Instructional
Research, Sugar Grove, IL.
Jessica Wildermuth (2002-2003).
Master's student in Experimental Psychology (M.S. 2005). Currently
doctoral student in Legal Psychology at the University of Texas,
El Paso, TX.
Links to Professional
Organizations
Here is a list of professional organizations that
you might want to join. Check out their web sites for information
about conferences, journals, and other benefits and opportunities.
American Psychological
Association
American Psychological
Society
Human Behavior and Evolution Society
International Association of
Relationship Researchers
International Society
for Self and Identity
Midwestern Psychological
Association
Society of Experimental Social
Psychology
Society for Personality and
Social Psychology
Society of Southeastern
Social Psychologists
Southeastern Psychological
Association
Western Psychological
Association
For
more information about Interpersonal Relationships Lab, please
contact:
Kristine M. Kelly, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
Western Illinois University
109 Waggoner Hall
Macomb, IL 61455
(309) 298-2653
KM-Kelly2@wiu.edu
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