I am a clinical psychologist on faculty in the Psychology department at the Pennsylvania State University. The overarching mission of the research program being developed in the Relationship Research Lab is to determine causal mechanisms and contextual factors that contribute to couples' relationship satisfaction and distress, as well as the occurrence of psychological and physical aggression in intimate relationships. In addition to establishing important psychopathology and personality variables associated with the development and maintenance of intimate partner violence, my research program has evolved to examine the interaction of these variables with social information processing skills, such as individuals' ability to perceive and interpret social stimuli, then to generate, choose, and enact behavioral responses. This model includes the study of interpersonal processes (e.g., reciprocal and multiplicative communication patterns) and contextual factors (e.g., alcohol intoxication) that may contribute to changes in information processing skills that are particularly important to the maintenance of adaptive close relationships. For more information about my past work, plans for the lab, courses being taught, etc., please browse this site or contact me.