le lab

Fostering Care and Connection

Research in our lab is focused on the study of relationships and well-being. We examine how the different ways in which people care and connect with each other impacts personal and relationship well-being.

Caring

We study the careful balance of care needed to foster satisfying relationships, while also sustaining one's own well-being.

Connecting

We study how the emotions we express and perceive in others affects our ability to build deeper social connections.

Well-Being

We study how emotions and motivations uniquely shape personal well-being, partner well-being, and overall relationship quality.

Recent News

New Research Appears in Current Opinion in Psychology

In the 2022 paper "When the truth helps and when it hurts: How honesty shapes well-being," Bonnie Le, William Chopik, Claire Shimshock, and Princeton Chee review the costs and benefits of honesty for well-being and highlight promising new directions in this area of research.

New Research Appears in Social Personality and Psychology Compass

In the 2022 paper "Having the will, finding the ways, and wishes for the future: A model of relational hope and well-being," Claire Shimshock and Bonnie Le describe how three facets of hope--agency (i.e., will), pathways (i.e., ways), and aspirations (i.e., wishes)--shape well-being in romantic relationships.

New Graduate Student Princeton Chee

Princeton completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Rochester. He's continuing in the Le Lab as a doctoral student. Welcome, Princeton!

Princeton Chee awarded the Herbert L. Zimmer Award

Princeton received this top honor among the University of Rochester psychology graduate class of 2022. Princeton received this award for outstanding performance in research and for showing great promise for a career in psychology. Congratulations, Princeton!

Claire Shimshock was awarded the APS Student Research Grant and the Psi Chi Graduate Grant

Claire was awarded two graduate student research grants from APS and Psi Chi to test a new theoretical model of relational hope and well-being. Double congratulations, Claire!

Princeton Chee receives Deans' Award

Princeton received the Deans' Award for being selected as a student speaker at UR's interdisciplinary research expo. Princeton presented on the topic of reducing loneliness through prosociality. Congratulations, Princeton!

Claire Shimshock selected as a runner-up for the 2022 Society for Personality and Social Psychology Poster Award

Claire received the award for presenting her work examining whether amplifying gratitude in romantic relationships predicts costs or benefits to well-being. Congratulations, Claire!