ROSE BERN

she/her/hers
University of California, Davis
Office: Young Hall 148A
Email: rbern@ucdavis.edu

Research Interests: queer sexuality, consensual non-monogamy, intersectional feminist and community-engaged methods

Rose is a third year Ph.D. student in the Attraction and Relationships Lab. She graduated from the NYU Gallatin Individualized Studies program in 2018, where she broadly studied the intersection of love and human sexuality.

She is particularly interested in understanding the role that erotic intimacy plays in the maintenance of a diverse range of relationships. Her work is grounded in both feminist and queer theories as she aims to interrogate hegemonic frameworks within relationship science by deploying community-based methods.

She is currently spearheading a project that examines the factors that contribute to the well-being of polyamorous relationships by capturing the experiences of all members within a polyamorous network (i.e., polycule). Additionally, she is developing a theoretical framework to study queerplatonic relationships (i.e., platonic relationships built on mutual commitment and deep emotional intimacy but have no assumptions of sexual and/or romantic involvement), which are commonplace in polyamorous, aromantic and/or asexual communities. Queerplatonic relationships may resist heteronormative social rules imposed on traditional friendships in key ways, living in a liminal space between romantic and platonic relationships. She ultimately strives to do future work that amplifies underrepresented LGBTQ+ and CNM (consensually non-monogamous) voices.

She mostly spends her free time inhaling dangerous amounts of bread and cheese (see photo) and subsequently cozying up with her electric blanket and a good show (probably something by Michael Schur). She also loves tiny, furry creatures and will soon adopt a hamster named Abrahamster Maslow.

PRESENTATIONS AND POSTERS

*undergraduate mentees

Bern, R., Moors, A., & Eastwick, P. Polyamorous Love in the Time of COVID-19: Does Attachment to a Cohabitating Partner Buffer Against Adverse Effects from Missing a Separated Partner(s)? Talk presented at: Australian National University Love Symposium; 2022 Oct 7; Virtual. 

Bern, R., Moors, A., & Eastwick, P. Polyamorous Love in the Time of COVID-19: The Interplay Between Attachment, Partner Longing, and COVID Distress. Poster to be presented at Society for Scientific Study of Sexuality; 2022 Nov 3-6; Vancouver, Canada.

Bern R., Moors A., & Eastwick P. Polyamorous Love in the Time of COVID-19: The Interplay Between Attachment and COVID Distress. Talk presented at: UC Davis Psychology Conference; 2022 May 20; Davis, CA. 

Bern R., Nicholson T., Demchak J.*, Eastwick P., Ghodse-Elahi Y., & Shrout P. Why My Partner Has Sex: Gender and Attachment Insecurity Predict Perceived Partner Approach-Avoidance Sexual Motives. Poster presented at: Association for Psychological Science; 2022 May 26-29; Chicago, IL. 

Bern R. It Takes a Village: Insights from Polyamory. Talk presented at: UC Davis Psych Grad Glam; 2022 March 11; Davis, CA. 

Bern R., Nicholson T., Demchak J.*, Siegel D., Eastwick P., Ghodse-Elahi Y., & Shrout P. Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby: How Attachment Insecurity, Gender, and Sexual Orientation Map Onto Sexual Communication. Poster presented at: Society for Personality and Social Psychology; 2022 Feb 16-19; San Francisco, CA. 

Bern R., Carpenter S.*, Eastwick P., Ghodse-Elahi Y., & Shrout P. Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby: How Sexual Destiny and Growth Beliefs, Attachment Insecurity, and Gender Map Onto Sexual Communal Strength. Poster presented at: Society for Personality and Social Psychology; 2022 Feb 16-19; San Francisco, CA. 

Bern R., Nicholson T., Yip-Bannicq M., Ghodse-Elahi Y., & Shrout P. Why Couples Have Sex: An Exploration of Gender, Attachment Style, and Approach-Avoidance Motives. Poster presented at: Society for Personality and Social Psychology; 2021 Feb 9-13; Virtual.

Bern R., Yip-Bannicq M. & Shrout P. The Implications of Construal Level and Attachment Style on Romantic Relationships. Poster presented at: Social Neuroscience of Human Attachment Conference; 2020 Aug 12; Virtual.

Bern R., Yip-Bannicq M. & Shrout P. The Implications of Construal Level and Attachment Style on Relationship Conflict. Poster presented at: Association for Psychological Science; 2020 June 1-Sep 1; Virtual.

Bern R., Yip-Bannicq M. & Shrout P. The Implications of Construal Level and Attachment Style on Romantic Relationships. Poster presented at: Society for Personality and Social Psychology; 2020 Feb 27-29; New Orleans, LA. 

Bern R. BA Colloquium: The Intersection of Love and Human Sexuality. Oral presentation to a panel of NYU faculty members, which examined the psychology of family systems, interpersonal romantic relationships, and human sexuality; 2018 April 23; New York, NY.