Graduate Trainee Profile:
Kathryn P. Brooks
Graduate Trainee - Social Psychology
Advisors: Professors Christine Dunkel Schetter and Theodore Robles
Year Entered Doctoral Program at UCLA: 2006
Undergraduate School/Major: Carleton College/Psychology
Email:

Research:
My research addresses the psychological and biological pathways by which social connections influence health. There is compelling evidence that social support reduces physiological responding to stressors, but the degree to which these physiological changes translate into health benefits is not clear. To address this need, I am currently investigating whether stressful interaction with a romantic partner delays skin healing and whether these effects are mediated by alterations in neuroendocrine function. In addition, I am interested in the impact of such factors as gender, attachment style, prior life events, and socioeconomic status. In the future, I hope to extend this work to other health relevant outcomes such as pre-term delivery, diabetes, vaccine efficacy and major depression.

Publications and conference presentations:
A longitudinal analysis of emotional experience and regulation. (in preparation) Carstensen, L.L., Turan, B., Ersner-Hershfield, H., Brooks, K., & Larkin, G.

Brooks, K., Mikels, J., Klest, B., Carstensen, L., & Freyd, J. (2007) Trauma exposure over the life-span: effects on emotion and health. Poster presented at the 37th Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Memphis, TN.

Lutsky, N., Brooks, K., Jensen, M. & Weber, R. (2003) First among equals: Research on the above-average effect. Poster presented at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Los Angeles, CA.

Honors and awards:

NSF Training Grant in Interdisciplinary Relationship Science, 2007-2008
UCLA Graduate Division Summer Research Award, 2007
UCLA University Fellowship, 2006-2007
Phi Beta Kappa Inductee, 2004
Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society Inductee, 2004
Distinction in the Psychology Major, 2004
Distinction in the Senior Comprehensive Exercise, 2004
Wingspread Fellow, 2003
Carleton College Admissions Fellow, 2003
Carleton College Dean’s List; 2001, 2002

Current hobbies, interests, extracurricular activities:
Singing, cooking, reading, and enjoying the California sunshine.

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