Lisa Neff

Lisa A. Neff, Ph.D., is a Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. She is an expert on marriage and family relationships and has conducted extensive research, funded by the National Science Foundation, on how couples’ relationships develop and change over time. Dr. Neff has served as an Associate Editor for several prominent journals in her field (e.g., Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Personal Relationships) and has been the recipient of awards for her contributions to relationship science, including the Caryl E. Rusbult Early Career Award from the Society of Personality and Social Psychology. 

My research focuses on how couples’ relationships develop and change over time. Specifically, the question at the heart of my research is: why are some couples able to maintain their initial feelings of love and happiness despite the challenges of a long-term relationship, whereas other couples can not? As examining the dynamics of change in couples’ relationships requires longitudinal, labor intensive research that utilizes multiple methods, my research typically involves collecting a mix of self-report, daily survey, observational, and physiological data from couples at multiple points over the course of several years. My research lab has identified risk factors for relationship decline, with a special emphasis on how stressful life circumstances may alter relationship functioning. More recently, my lab also has begun examining some of the unique challenges that couples face in later life, such as the transition into an empty nest, and whether the manner in which couples navigate their relationship difficulties may change as they grow older.