Implicit theories of relationships are specific beliefs that people bring with them into their relationships. Destiny belief concerns the stability of one’s impressions about relationships. Growth belief concerns the stability of problems in relationships. These beliefs help guide how people perceive, initiate, and maintain romantic relationships.

Self-determination, or autonomy, in romantic relationships refers to fully endorsing one’s own involvement rather than feeling coerced, guilty, or not knowing why one is in the relationship. One’s degree of self-determination and autonomous investment has a great deal to do with how people approach and manage conflict in romantic relationships.

Relationship-contingent self-esteem is self-esteem that depends on one’s relationship, and reflects a particular kind of unhealthy relationship investment. When one’s self-regard is hooked on one’s relationship, one is strongly influenced by relationship events and outcomes because of the implications those events have for the self.

Sample Current Projects:

• Relationship-contingent self-esteem and naturalistic relationship comparisons
• Unrealistic control belief and exaggerated estimates of relationship success
• Perceived autonomy support and acceptance of change in romantic relationships
• Relationship-contingent self-esteem as a moderator of how relationship events affect the self
• A self-determination theory perspective on fulfillment of basic psychological needs in romantic relationships
• Implicit theories of relationships and coping in romantic relationships
• Authenticity as a moderator of how self-concealment reduces well-being
• A motivation model of grad student well-being