Bonnie Le

Professor Le's research focuses on how emotions and motivation shape well-being in interpersonal relationships. In particular, she examines how and when the regulation of emotions, the perception of emotions, and the motivation to care for others predict well-being for better or for worse. To do so, she uses naturalistic methods including surveying people in daily life, observing them in lab interactions, and following-up with them over time. Given that supportive relationships are vital to psychological well-being and physical health, the goal of Professor Le's research is to understand how emotional and motivational processes may help or hinder the maintenance of satisfying relationships.