Dr. Jennifer Shukusky

Former Graduate Research Assistant/Teaching Assistant
Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
University of Texas at Austin
 

About Jennifer

Jennifer graduated from Bucknell University with a B.A. in Psychology and English and received her Master’s degree in Psychology from Rutgers University.  She joined Dr. Eastwick’s lab in the fall of 2013 in the pursuit of her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Sciences at UT Austin.  Jennifer is particularly interested in bridging the gap between sex research and relationship research.  Her previous/on-going research examines:

Hook-up culture: in the context of the college social scene, how one’s involvement in hook up behaviors may be influenced by parent-child relationship quality; how men and women regard these sexual interactions similarly and differently.

Sexual Behaviors: sexual scripting; variety in sexual acts and the occurrence/frequency/commonality in the context of specific relationship types; in which acts men and women engage depending on the seriousness of their relationship with their sexual partner.

Romantic relationships: diversity in relationship types from casual hook-ups and friends with benefits to dating relationships and serious romantic relationships; how relationship type scripts sexual behaviors between partners.

Infidelity: reasons why people cheat; personality attributes common in people with a history of cheating; resolution/confrontation of cheating episodes in romantic relationships.

Publications

Eastwick, P. W., Harden, K. P., Shukusky, J. A., Morgan, T. A., & Joel, S.. (in press). Consistency and Inconsistency among romantic partners over time. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. [Download Article]

Shukusky, J. A. & Wade, T. J. (2012.) Sex differences in hook up culture:  A replication and examination of parent-child relationship quality.  The Journal of Social, Evolutionary, and Cultural Psychology on Applied Evolutionary Psychology. [Download article]

Shukusky, J. A. & Le, B. (July 9, 2012) “Seven Days of Sex:” Will it save your marriage? [link]