My research focuses on how goal-striving processes lead to individual differences in emotional well-being. I take a multi-method approach to investigating how some individuals are happier than others. For example, my projects examine how emotions influence outcomes both in the real world and in laboratory settings. In my work, I have found that positive emotions are positively associated with real world outcomes such as work success and longevity (Le, Donnellan, & Conger, 2006; Le, Lucas, & Donnellan, 2006). In addition, studies I have conducted in the lab examine how temporary positive and negative mood states influence how people think about their goals. In addition, other projects I have conducted test whether individual differences in happiness could be explained by time spent in social activities or reward sensitivity. Basically, I am interested in testing the processes underlying individual differences in positive emotional experience.

• PSY B305: Introductory Statistics
• PSY B370: Social Psychology
• PSY B424: Personality Psychology
• PSY B311: Introduction to Lab
• PSY B471: Capstone in Social Psychology
• PSY B425: Capstone in Personality Psychology

Le, K., Donnellan, M.B., Conger, R. (submitted). Personality Development at Work: Workplace Conditions, Personality Changes, and the Corresponsive Principle. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Lucas, R.E., Le, K., & Dyrenforth, P. (in press). Explaining the extraversion/positive affect relation: Sociability cannot account for extraverts’ greater happiness. Journal of Personality. Conditionally accepted pending minor revisions.

Baird, B,M., Le, K., & Lucas, R.E. (2006). On the nature of intraindividual personality variability: Reliability, validity, and associations with well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 90, 512-527.