KU News Release

LAWRENCE — Researchers from all over the world will gather at the University of Kansas from Nov. 5 to 7 to discuss their investigations into sexuality, love, friendship, parenting and other relationship topics.

The Close Relationships Interest Group at KU has invited these psychologists, neuroscientists, communication specialists, anthropologists, sociologists, biologists and other researchers to be a part of the biannual mini conference of the International Association of Relationship Research.

“Between having relationships with people from all over the world, providing regular updates on your love life through Facebook and Twitter, and being constantly bombarded with information on how relationships should work, and what your brain waves and genes have to do with it, the management of close relationships gets really hard,” said Omri Gillath, assistant professor of psychology at KU. “This conference will focus on what we can do to improve intimate relationships and help people gain better health and well-being through them.”

Investigators from Australia, Canada, China, Ghana, Israel, Italy, Japan, Poland, Turkey and other nations will attend the event, which is sponsored by the American Psychological Association, the Office of the Provost at KU and other organizations.

Some topics to be covered by attending experts include the importance of physical attractiveness in urban versus rural settings; sociocultural definitions of parental and romantic love; the way support groups help people with cancer to survive; how relationship or “attachment” styles influence the way people cope with seriously ill romantic partners; and how love songs might help people maintain relationships by validating experiences and emotions.

Registration for the mini conference is $260 for the public and $160 for students. A conference program is available online.

Credentialed media are invited to attend any of the sessions.