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.

Primary Interests:

Close Relationships
Health Psychology
Interpersonal Processes
Neuroscience, Psychophysiology
Research Methods, Assessment

Close Relationships
Health Psychology
Interpersonal Processes

Neuroscience, Psychophysiology
Research Methods, Assessment

Research Group or Laboratory:

Loving Laboratory
Interactive Map

Journal Articles:

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.
Kelly, J. R., & Loving, T. J. (2004). Time pressure and group performance: Exploring underlying processes in the Attentional Focus Model. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 40, 185-198.
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.
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., & 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.
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., 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.
Smith, A., Loving, T. J., Crockett, E. E., & Campbell, L. (in press). What’s closeness got to do with it? Men’s and women’s cortisol responses when providing and receiving support. Psychosomatic Medicine.

Other Publications:

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.

Timothy J. Loving
Human Development and Family Sciences
1 University Station
Box A2702
Austin, TX 78712
United States

Phone: (512) 471-0973
Fax: (512) 471-8662