Recent conceptual and technological advances have led to innovative research highlighting reciprocal influences among social, demographic, behavioral, and biological processes. Thus, it is clear that human biology helps shape, and is shaped by, social and psychological experiences. By integrating both biological and psychosocial measurements into studies of the family and human development, we are better equipped to more accurately capture and understand who we are as individuals and how families function. Researchers in this area are incorporating biological markers assessing immune function, the psychobiology of the stress response, sex hormones, and genetic markers of affiliative behaviors.

Faculty Research

• Karen Fingerman
  Dr. Fingerman is interested in stress hormones (cortisol, DHEA) underlying family support patterns. Family is a mainstay of support in the U.S. and research has shown that intense caregiving for older adults has deleterious impact on health. Provision of support in everyday contexts may be stressful and demanding and exert physiological harm. By contrast, such support may be rewarding and exert stress buffering effects physiologically.
• Melissa Franks
  In her research on marital interactions in the context of chronic illness management, Dr. Franks explores biobehavioral processes as intervening mechanisms in, and as markers of, anticipated linkages among social and health lifestyle behaviors of each partner and the health behaviors, physical health and well-being outcomes of the other. Her current work includes innovative nutrition assessments of both married partners in the daily management of diabetes and is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Carol Boushey from the Department of Foods and Nutrition.
  
• Leah Hibel
   A key aspect of Dr. Hibel's work involves the integration of biological markers (e.g., markers of the psychobiology of the stress response) into studies of the family.
• Daniel Mroczek
  Dr. Mroczek is interested in the biobehavioral processes that underlie the predictive connection between personality traits and mortality. Specifically, he is interested in the way particular personality traits lead to certain health behaviors (or lack thereof), which in turn lead to illness or health, mortality or longevity. He is also interested in physiological pathways between personality and health, especially those that involve stress hormones such as cortisol or immune system parameters.