Current Investigations and My Students
Passey Research Group Fall 2015
***Note re: I will not be taking on any new students Fall 2018.***
My students and I are currently conducting research investigating the causes of people’s emotional and behavioral overreactions to interpersonal rejection events that do not constitute a threat to their well-being (or, when the event has a potentially negative consequence for them, respond out of proportion to the severity of the situation). For example, laboratory studies have shown that participants often react strongly to meaningless rejections by complete strangers (often people that they never meet face-to-face), and in real life situations, people are often hurt and angered when rejected or merely dismissed by people who acceptance is of absolutely no importance to them. These overblown responses to inconsequential rejections are intriguing because they often undermine respect, interpersonal acceptance, and self-esteem—the outcomes that people were presumably trying to obtain. This research will represent a combination of my interests in reactions to interpersonal rejection experiences and self-regulation failure.
We have also investigated the influence of taking courses in interpersonal relationships on students' relationship quality, communication, conflict styles, and relationship longevity.
Emily and Lexi at Brian Harder conference
Veronica's convocation Spring 2016
Former Research Group Personnel:
Veronica Bergstrom
Rayman Chen
Judy Dang
Jonathan Dubue
Katherine Edling
Brittany Franklin
Katharine Hampson
Maryse Hebert
Brett Klassen
Sharon Leung
Nuha Mahdi
Sheena Marques
Emily Matejko
Katherine Melnyk
Kaetlyn Oates
Breanne Parker
Stephanie Reeves
Christopher Reid
Heather Schultz
Christina Seal
Staci Silverman
Sherani Sivakumar
Malcolm Slater
Breanna Steinke
Andrea Vig
Aurielle Volk
Lynn Wamburu
Rachel Williamson
Katie Willis
Passey Research Group Fall 2013
Passey Research Group Fall 2012