Research Program Overview

Breakup of a dating relationship significantly predicts incidence of first major depression. Becoming married increases men’s, but not women’s, life expectancy. Hostile marital interactions delay the rate at which wounds heal. These are just a few examples of the profound impact close relationships have on individuals’ physical and mental health. Yet, a complete understanding of the psychological and physiological mechanisms underlying such effects remains elusive. My research has contributed to knowledge concerning the features of close relationships that affect the health of individuals and their personal relationships by focusing on two primary areas of study: (1) social networks and the prediction of the fate of romantic relationships, and (2) the psychophysiology of personal relationships. I have used a variety of methods to study these topics, including experimental, cross-sectional, longitudinal and physiological assessments methods.

Selected Publications

Wright, B. L., & Loving, T. J. (in press). Health implications of conflict in close relationships. Social and Personality Psychology Compass.

Loving, T. J., & Campbell, L. (in press). Mind-body connections in personal relationships: What close relationships researchers have to offer. Personal Relationships.

Crockett, E. E., Loving, T. J., Le, B., & Korn, M. S. (in press). Predicting women’s and men’s coping strategies: Interdependence type matters. Journal of Social Psychology.

Le, B., Korn, M. S., Crockett, E. E., & Loving, T. J. (in press). Missing you maintains us: Missing a romantic partner, commitment, relationship maintenance, and infidelity. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

Gouin, J.P., Carter, C. S., Poumajafi-Nazarloo, H., Glaser, R.,  Malarkey, W. B., Loving, T. J., Stowell, J., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2010). Marital behavior, oxytocin, vasopressin, and wound healing. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 35, 1082-1090. 

Graham, J. E., Glaser, R., Loving, T. J., Malarkey, W. B., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2009). Cognitive word use during marital conflict and increases in proinflammatory cytokines. Health Psychology, 28, 621-630.

Loving, T. J., Crockett, E. E., & Paxson, A. A. (2009). Passionate love and relationship thinkers: Experimental evidence for acute cortisol elevations in women. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 34, 939-946. 

Loving, T. J., Gleason, M. E. J., & Pope, M. T. (2009). Transition novelty moderates daters’ cortisol responses when talking about marriage. Personal Relationships, 16, 187-203.

Loving, T. J., Le, B., & Crockett, E. (2009). The physiology of feeling hurt. In A. Vangelisti (Ed.), Feeling Hurt in Close Relationships (359-375). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Smith, A., Loving, T. J., Crockett, E. E., & Campbell, L. (2009). What’s closeness got to do with it? Men’s and women’s cortisol responses when providing and receiving support. Psychosomatic Medicine, 71, 843-851.

Le, B., Loving, T. J., Lewandowski, G. L., Feinberg, E. G., Johnson, K. C., Fiorentino, R., & Ing, J. (2008). Missing a romantic partner: A prototype analysis. Personal Relationships, 15, 511-532.

Loving, T. J. (2006). Predicting dating relationship fate with insiders’ and outsiders’ perspectives: Who and what is asked matters. Personal Relationships, 13, 349-362. 

Loving, T. J., Heffner, K. L., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2006). Physiology and interpersonal relationships. In A Vangelisti & D. Perlman (Eds.), Cambridge Handbook of Personal Relationships (385-405). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Loving, T. J., Stowell, J. R., Malarkey, W. B., Lemeshow, S., Dickinson, S., & Glaser, R. (2005). Hostile marital interactions, proinflammatory cytokine production, and wound healing. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62, 1377-1384.

Loving, T. J., Heffner, K. L., Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Glaser, R., & Malarkey, W. B. (2004). Stress hormone changes and marital conflict: Spouses’ relative power makes a difference. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66, 594-611. 

Agnew, C. R., Loving, T. J., & Drigotas, S. M. (2001). Substituting the forest for the trees: Social networks and the prediction of romantic relationship state and fate. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 1042-1057.

Loving, T. J., & Agnew, C. R. (2001). Socially desirable responding in close relationships: A dual-component approach and measure. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 18, 551-573. 

(A more complete list of publications can be found in my CV. If you are interested in a copy of a paper, please e-mail me directly).

Current Funding

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (1R21HD057432-01A2), Transitions into and out of nonmarital romances: Health consequences; $401,928; 9/30/2009 – 8/31/2011.