Impett, Emily

The main goal of my research is to investigate how close relationships influence our happiness and well-being. In one line of research, I examine how an approach-avoidance motivational perspective can help us to understand why some relationships are successful while others falter and fail. In a second line of work, I study the role of prosocial emotions, such as gratitude, love, and compassion, in relationships across the lifespan. In a third line of research, I investigate the benefits of being authentic or "true" to oneself in relationships, with a particular emphasis on how authenticity shapes the sexual health and well-being of adolescent girls and young adult women

Recent representative publications:

Impett, E. A., Le, B. M., Asyaby-Eshghi, B., Day, L. C., & Kogan, A. (2013). To give or not to give? Sacrificing for avoidance goals is not costly for the highly interdependent. Social Psychological and Personality Science. Advance online publication.

Impett, E. A., Kogan, A., English, T., John O., Oveis, C., Gordon, A., & Keltner, D. (2012). Suppression sours sacrifice: Emotional and relational costs of suppressing emotions in romantic relationships. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38, 707-720.

Muise, A., Impett, E. A., Kogan, A., & Desmarais, S. (2012). Keeping the spark alive: Being motivated to meet a partner’s sexual needs sustains sexual desire in long-term romantic relationships. Social Psychological and Personality Science.  Advance Online Publication.

Impett, E. A., Gordon, A. M., Kogan, A., Oveis, C., Gable, S. L., & Keltner, D. (2010). Moving toward more perfect unions: Daily and long-term consequences of approach and avoidance goals in romantic relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99, 948-963. 

Kogan, A., Impett, E. A., Oveis, C., Hui, B., Gordon, A. M., & Keltner, D. (2010). When giving feels good: The intrinsic benefits of sacrifice in romantic relationships for the communally motivated. Psychological Science, 21, 1918-1924.