LAB ALUMNI

JESSICA MAXWELL

Jessica completed her PhD in 2017 and is now an Assistant Professor/Lecturer at the University of Auckland.

I am interested in examining attachment processes in romantic relationships, and factors that influence the accuracy of perceptions in relationships. My specific research interests include the influence of attachment on empathic accuracy, relationship expectancies, and social exclusion. I am also interested in implicit theories of relationships, and how they can be applied to the sexual domain.

STEPHANIE SPIELMANN

Stephanie completed her PhD in 2013, continued her work in the lab as a post-doctoral fellow, and is now an Assistant Professor at Wayne State University in Michigan.

I examine how insecurities promote maladaptive relational outcomes by exaggerating perceptions of threats and restraining perceptions of rewards. My research demonstrates that insecure individuals make many maladaptive relational choices based on threat avoidance motivations, such as the fear of rejection or the fear of being single. My research also suggests that the less examined motivating force of perceived opportunity for rewards, such as intimacy and close connection, is an important predictor of romantic decisions. Furthermore, I have been careful to examine the impact of these forces through the lens of relevant theoretical frames, especially attachment theory.