REU Site: Scientific Study of Interpersonal Relationships Across the Lifespan

University Of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia MO

Investigators

Abstract

This project is funded from the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites program in the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE). The scientific study of interpersonal relationships over the lifespan is important to our broader understanding of the human experience. These relationships begin with our earliest interactions and continue into later life, and through them we learn how to communicate with, and support others, as well as handle conflicts and negativity. These relationships are also studied through a variety of disciplines, including psychology, family sciences, and interpersonal communication. However, the science of these important, everyday interactions is typically overlooked by undergraduates as 1) being a science, and 2) being a viable option for future study and professional goals. While undergraduates in the fields of Communication, Human Development and Family Sciences, and Psychological Sciences are often interested in relationships, the majority of those undergraduate majors who go on to graduate study largely apply to more applied areas within these fields of study (i.e., mass communication, marriage and family therapy, clinical/counseling psychology). This REU Site aims to educate students on what it means to scientifically study interpersonal relationships across the lifespan. This 9 week on-campus summer program (8 students per summer) is centered on the interdisciplinary, lifespan developmental, and diverse nature of the scientific study of close relationships. This REU site will take advantage of the collaborative and interactive research environment fostered by the Family and Relationships Research Network of Missouri (FARR-net) at MU. Each undergraduate will be mentored by a primary FARR-net-affiliated faculty member from the departments of Communication, Human Development & Family Sciences, or Psychological Sciences, to design a project related to one or more primary close relationships (i.e., parent-child, sibling, friends, romantic/marital partners) from a developmentally-informed perspective. Participants will also receive professional development training in applying to graduate programs and competitive fellowships, as well as opportunities to engage in science communication and research dissemination through on-campus and professional research conferences. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.