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Psych professor gets 'Glamour'ous

By David Gonnerman '90
May 27, 2011

A study co-authored by Assistant Professor of Psychology Minda Oriña that will be published in the June issue of Psychological Science has attracted some attention from the popular press, including Glamour ("It's equal commitment rather than more commitment that keeps couples together") and Discovery News ("Early bonds predict ability to commit").

The study, "Developmental and dyadic perspectives on commitment in adult romantic relationships," looked at "hypotheses concerning the developmental roots of becoming the 'weak-link' (less committed) partner in adult romantic relationships." Oriña and the other researchers found that "people who received lower quality support from caregivers in toddlerhood or were unable to resolve conflicts with a best friend in mid-adolescence were more likely to become the weak-link partner in their adult romantic relationships at age 20–21."

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.