Select Research Projects
Adolescents who are not athletic or not attractive become increasingly unpopular, leading to greater alcohol misuse and loneliness.
Repeated Measures ANOVA were conducted for preliminary analyses. A structural equation modeling framework with Bayesian Estimation was conducted for the final model.
Data were collected at 3 time points across a single school year.
Adolescents reported their loneliness and alcohol misuse across the past month.
Participants identified classmates who best fit the descriptions: athletic, attractive, unpopular.
Individuals who believe their friends are not supportive at the beginning of the school year are no longer friends at the end of the school year.
Dyadic modeling was used. An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model identified the model.
Data were collected at 2 time points across a single school year.
Participants identified their best friend and detailed the quality of their relationship.
Without Support There Can Be No Friendship
Parents pass down feelings of political powerlessness and indifference to their children. This effect is particularly strong among families in which parents and adolescents have a close relationship.
Dyadic modeling was used. A latent Actor Partner Interdependence Model was conducted.
Data were collected at 2 time points across two years.
Teens and their parents reported their political alienation across two years. Teens reported how close they felt to their parents.
Political Alienation Spreads from Parents to Children
Children who easily give into peer pressure are more likely to have decreased body satisfaction and engage in less physical activity than their peers.
Repeated Measures ANOVA were conducted for preliminary analyses. A structural equation modeling framework identified the model.
Data were collected across 2 time points in a single school year.
Participants reported their social media use, body satisfaction, and how easily they give into peer pressure.
Social Media Use is Particularly Harmful for those Most Susceptible to Peer Pressure
A psychological measure that assess the extent to which individuals need to think about their morals was developed and validated.
Interviews from the target population and focus groups with content experts informed initial item generation.
Pilot items were administered to a large crowd sourced sample.
Factor analysis identified two latent factors: curiosity and courage.
Psychometric validation was assessed in a local sample.
Developing a Measure for the Need for Moral Cognition
A clinical assessment was developed and validated to measure how much an individual's self-esteem is dependent on their athletic or sport performance.
Interviews from the target population informed item generation.
Pilot items were administered to a large crowd sourced sample.
Factor analysis indicated that exercise overvaluation is dependent on internal pressures and external comparison.
Validity and reliability were tested in a local sample of college club and Division I athletes.
Psychometric Validation of the Exercise Overvaluation Scale
When youth are perceived to be fun by their peers they make more friends, which leads to increased social status.
Study 1 examined what it means to be fun to children. Interviews informed items, which were distributed in a survey.
Factor analysis identified 3 factors: silliness, humor, and kindness.
Sutdy 2 examined what the benefits of being fun are. Participants reported how many friends they had and which of their classmates best fit the descriptions: fun, likeable, popular.
Data were collected 3 times across a single school year.
A full longitudinal mediation model identified the model.
What's the Point of Being Fun?
Individuals who are relatively more likeable than their friends are also more influential. More likable friends change the behavior of their less likable friends.
Dyadic modeling with a residualization strategy identified the model.
Data were collected 2 times across a single school year.
Participants reported who their best friends were and which of their classmates best fit the descriptions: likeable, aggressive, kind, smart.
Sources of Influence in Friendships
Dissimilar individuals develop mutual feelings of dislike toward one another.
Discrete time survival analysis was conducted.
Data were collected 3 times across a single school year.
Participants reported who they disliked. They also reported their emotional and behavioral problems. Classmates reported on who best fit the descriptions: popular, aggressive, smart, kind, athletic.
Opposites Do Not Attract
Children who retain and gain friends are viewed more positively by their peers. But children who lose friends are viewed more negatively.
Repeated Measures ANOVA were conducted separately for each outcome.
Data were collected 2 times across a single school year.
Participants reported who their friends were and which of their classmates best fit the descriptions: likeable, fun, and kind.
Tell Me How Many Friends You have, and I'll Tell You How Other Perceive You
Modern Disney princesses embody fewer stereotypical feminine behaviors, but their male co-stars are hypermasculinized. Is Disney compensating for female androgyny with increased masculinity?
Transcript coding and behavioral coding were applied to two 20th century original cartoon Disney princess movies and their 21st century live action remakes.
Thematic content analysis identified 16 unique patterns of feminine and masculine stereotypes across movies.
A Tale as Old as Time and Other Wishes Your Heart Makes
Friend similarity matters most during mid-adolescence but less during the early and later years.
Within-dyad correlations were conducted.
Data were collected 3 times across a single school year.
Participants reported their friends and which of their classmates who best fit the following descriptions: athletic, attractive, likeable, popular.
When Does Friend Similarity Matter Most?