Sometimes people’s eyes get wide when I tell them that I’m a psychologist who studies dreams, and they immediately start confiding in me about their “weird/crazy/strange/vivid” dreams that often include similar themes (like their teeth falling out). Then they ask me what it … [Read more...] about Wake Up! Dreams and Relationships (Part 1 of 2)
Chemistry + Timing = Relationship Success
As the semester winds down, I like to conclude my course on interpersonal relationships with some general parting words of advice and a few apropos pop culture references. Last season on How I Met Your Mother, Robin shared a sagely perspective with Ted during a friend’s … [Read more...] about Chemistry + Timing = Relationship Success
The Scientist (or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Replications)
When people ask me what I do, I talk about being a professor and a social psychologist, but first and foremost I am a scientist, though probably not the type with a white lab coat and microscopes you had in mind. My colleagues and I use scientific perspectives and methods to … [Read more...] about The Scientist (or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Replications)
Are You the Jealous Type?
Jealousy can be a very painful and destructive emotion. People typically feel jealous when they sense some threat to their relationship (perhaps some smooth operator is making moves on your significant other, and you worry this rival is more attractive/desirable than you are). … [Read more...] about Are You the Jealous Type?
Late to the Game, Happier in Relationships
According to a study published in Psychological Science,1 teenagers who wait longer to have sex experience different kinds of romantic relationships later in life compared to teens that start having sex earlier. This 15-year longitudinal study (beginning in 1994 and concluding in … [Read more...] about Late to the Game, Happier in Relationships