people

Curriculum Vita
Forthcoming Book
Sexuality and Development Lab
Adolescent and Adult Attachment Lab

Research Interests

My research focuses on two distinct but related areas -- the nature and development of affectional bonds and the nature and development of same-sex sexuality. The common thread uniting these lines of research is my interest in the psychological and biobehavioral processes underlying intimate relationships and their influence on emotional experience and functioning over the life course.

My primary research questions are as follows: (1) what are the basic psychological and biobehavioral processes underlying the formation and functioning of affectional bonds; (2) how are these processes related to sexual desire and sexual orientation; (3) what are the implications of affectional bonding for mental and physical well-being at different stages of life? In addressing these questions, I use a diverse range of research methods, including in-depth qualitative interviews, controlled social-psychophysiological experiments, and assessment of naturalistic interpersonal behavior.

Education

Ph.D., Cornell University (Human Development, 1999)
B.A., University of Chicago (Psychology, 1993)

Selected Publications

Diamond, L. M., Hicks, A. M., and Otter-Henderson, K. D. (2008). Every time you go away: Changes in affect, behavior, and physiology associated with travel-related separations from romantic partners. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,95, 385-403. Download

Diamond, L. M. & Fagundes, C. P. (2008). Developmental perspectives on links between attachment and affect regulation over the lifespan. Advances in Child Development and Behavior, 36, 83-134. Download

Hicks, A. M. & Diamond, L. M. (2008). How was your day? Couples' affect when telling and hearing daily events. Personal Relationships, 15, 205-228. Download

Diamond, L. M. (2008). Female bisexuality from adolescence to adulthood: Results from a 10-year longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 44, 5-14. Download

Diamond, L. M. and Butterworth, M. (2008). Questioning gender and sexual identity: Dynamic links over time. Sex Roles, 59, 365-376.

Diamond, L. M. (2007). A dynamical systems approach to female same-sex sexuality. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2, 142-161. Download

Diamond, L. M., Hicks, A. M., & Otter-Henderson, K. (2006). Physiological evidence for repressive coping among avoidantly attached adults. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 23(2), 205-229. Download

My current graduate students

Molly Butterworth
Kendrick Allen
Susan Bonner
Janna Dickenson