Research Interests

Instruments for measuring relationships; romantic relationships; personality and relationships.

Research statement

One aspect of our research concerns the development and validation of psychometrically-sound instruments for the measurement of personality and relationships in experimental studies. Another concerns the comparison of common and unique features of specific types of relationships (e.g., marriage, parent-child, sibling). A third area concerns the interface between individual differences (gender, race, personality, etc) and personality disorders. Fourth, we are concerned with the basic processes involved in the formation, maintenance and dissolution of personal and social relationships. Finally, we are also studying self-conscious emotional characteristics (e.g., social anxiety, embarrassment, guilt, self-consciousness, shame and shyness) and processes which inhibit the acquisition and maintenance of close personal relationships.

• Advisory Editor, Contemporary Psychology
• Co-editor, Advances in Personal Relationships (Book series)
• Associate Editor, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
• Consulting Editor, Anxiety Research
• Advisory Board, Personality and Social Psychology Review

• Templeton Foundation (1998-2000)

Pifieri, R. L., Jobe, R. L., & Jones, W. H.  (2006).  Giving to others during national tragedy:  The effects of altruistic and egoistic motivation on long term giving.  Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 23, 171-184.

Lawler-Row, K. A., Younger, J. W., Peferi, R. L., & Jones, W. H.  (2006).  The role of adult attachment style in forgiveness following an interpersonal offense.  Counseling and Development, 84, 493-502.

Kamat, V. I., Jones, W. H., & Lawler-Row, K. A.  (2006).  Measuring forgiveness as a dimension of personality.  Individual Differences Research, 4, 322-330.

Jones, W. H.  (2006).  Loneliness.  In N. J. Salkind (Ed.).  The encyclopedia of human development.  Newbury Park, CA:  Sage.

Derlega, V. J., Winstead, B. R., & Jones, W. H. (Eds.). (2005). Personality: Contemporary theory and research (3rd Ed). New York: Wadsworth.

Lawler, K. A., Younger, J. W., Piferi, R. L., Jobe, R. L., Edmondson, K. A., & Jones, W. H. (2005). The unique effects of forgiveness on health: An exploration of pathways. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 28, 157-167.

Edmondson, K. A., Lawler, K. A., Jobe, R. L., Younger, J. W., Piferi, R. L., & Jones, W. H. (2005). Spirituality and cardiovascular responses to stress in young adult women. Journal of Religion and Health, 44, 161-171.

Hopko, D. R., Stowell, J., Jones, W. H., Armento, M. E. A., & Cheek, J. M. (2005). Psychometric properties of the Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 84, 185-192.

May L. N., & Jones, W. H. (2005). Differential reactions to hurt. Journal of Worry and AffectiveExperience, 1, 54-59.

Jones, W. H., & Couch, L. A. (2005). Personality and relationships. In V. J. Derlega, B. R. Winstead, & W. H. Jones (Eds.). Personality: Contemporary theory and research (3rd Ed). New York: Wadsworth.

Jones, W. H. (2004). Psi Chi. In W. E. Craighead & C. B. Nemeroff (Eds.). The concise Corsini encyclopedia of psychology and behavioral science, 3rd Ed. (pp. 739-740). New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Jones, W.H., Lowe, L. (2003). The experience of loneliness: Objective and subjective factors. The International Scope Review, 5, 41-69.

Jones, W.H. (2003). Shyness. In J.J. Ponzetti (Ed), International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family (2nd Ed). New York: Thomson.

Lawler, K.A., Younger, J.Y., Piferi, R.A., Billington, E., Jobe, R., Edmondson, K., Jones, W.H. (2003). A change of heart: Cardiovascular correlates of forgiveness in response to interpersonal conflict. Journal of Behavioral Medicine 26, 373-393.

Kelly, K.M., Jones, W.H., Adams, J.A. (2002) The Imaginary Audience Scale as a measure of social anxiety in young adults. Educational and Psychological Measurement 62, 892-914.

Jones, W.H., Moore, D.S., Schratter, A., & Negel, L.A. (2000). Interpersonal transgressions and betrayals. In R. Kowalski (Ed), Behaving badly: Aversive behaviors in interpersonal relationships (pp 233-256). Washington, DC: APA.

Jones, W.H. (2000). The Family Satisfaction Scale. In J. Maltby, C.A. Lewis, & A. Hill (Eds), A handbook of psychological tests (pp 723-724). Lampeter, Wales, UK; Edwin Mellen Press.

Jones, W.H. (2000). The Guilt Inventory. In J. Maltby, C.A. Lewis, & A. Hill (Eds), A handbook of psychological tests (pp 723-724). Lampeter, Wales, UK; Edwin Mellen Press.

Jones, W.H. (2000). The Marital Satisfaction and Commitment Scales. In J. Maltby, C.A. Lewis, & A. Hill (Eds), A handbook of psychological tests (pp 723-724). Lampeter, Wales, UK; Edwin Mellen Press.

Jones, W.H., Schratter, A.K., & Kugler, K. (2000). The Guilt Inventory. Psychological Reports, 87, 1039-1042.