Research
Drawing on methods from relationship, affective, and contemplative science, our lab explores how to promote healthy relationships and families.
Positive Processes in Relationships and Families
Relationships research has often focused on challenges, like stress, conflict, and coping. What about the good stuff, such as sharing laughter, expressing appreciation, and moments of kindness and affection? In the RAMP lab we focus on how positive interactions and experiences have consequences for intimate relationships and families. For instance, we recently published Interparental Positivity Spillover Theory (Don et al., 2024), which proposes that interparental positive interactions spill over into child experiences, and therefore have a unique and beneficial influence on child well-being and development.
The Transition to Parenthood among Intimate Couples
Sleepless nights. Crying infants. Dirty Diapers. The transition to parenthood is time of added responsibilities, challenges, and changes. Notably, these changes and challenges often occur within the context of a two-parent, dyadic relationship. In our work, we have studied how undergoing this transition influences relationship functioning and wellness, and conversely, how insights from motivation and affective science can be used to promote effective transitions to parenthood. For instance, in one recent study we demonstrated that positive emotions serve as an adaptive resource that promote relational adjustment among new parent couples (Don et al., 2022).
Meditation and Mindfulness in Close Relationships
How can we promote healthy emotional regulation, coping, and relationships? The goal of mindfulness meditation is to encourage a present-moment, accepting attention that promotes a meta-cognitive awareness of thoughts and mental experiences, ultimately allowing the individual to approach their inner experiences with less reactivity, and greater wisdom. In the RAMP lab, we draw on methods from contemplative, affective, and relationship science to explore how meditation can be utilized as a tool to promote better relationships and affective experiences in everyday life. For instance, in recent work we demonstrated that training in mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation are associated with lower variability (fewer ups and downs) in social connectedness in everyday life, via its association with reduced emotional instability (Don et al., 2022)
Social Support Seeking and Provision in Close Relationships
Sooner or later, we all need help: Social support is one of the most important processes in close relationships and families, as the quality of social support in one’s relationships is a strong contributor to mental and physical health. In the RAMP lab, we use insights from motivation, emotion, and contemplative science, to understand how to enhance the social support seeking and provision process in the context of close relationships. For example, in one study we demonstrated that authentic, self-driven motivation in one’s intimate relationship tends to predict more effective social support seeking, and in turn better support provision (Don & Hammond, 2017).
