research Interests
Relationship Breakup
dysfunctional commitment
Identity recovery, rekindling, and health outcomes after dissolution.
Committing to low quality relationships; Social psychological barriers to commitment
ongoing projects
project ex
Although we may not want them to, relationships often end. Their termination can lead to a variety of outcomes for the affected individuals, ranging from moderate distress to severe psychological turmoil, and even suicidal ideation. These negative thoughts and emotion have been attributed at least in part to the loss of one's own sense of self upon breakup, which occurs when partners can no longer be included in individuals understanding of who they are. This loss of self can lead people to engage in myriad behaviors. Some will choose to grow from the experience, while others may find themselves in more harmful scenarios like on-again off-again cycles.
Project Ex examines how people recover their lost sense of self after breakup. The overall aim? Understanding how self-protection affects post-relational decisions, and how we can encourage people to choose options that promote recovery instead of prolonged distress.
project lovestory
Researchers have identified important variables that help predict whether a relationship will progress to the next stage, or come to an end. Most people want their relationships to move forward, especially if their partner makes them happy. But others will commit to unhappy relationships and find themselves in painful situations. Why?
Project LoveStory is dedicated to answering this question. By investigating the personal motives underlying commitment to bad relationships, this project uncovers the good reasons people have for ending up in bad situations; from psychological distress and dyadic conflict to interpersonal manipulation and abuse.
project lovesick
The psychological effects of losing a romantic relationship are well documented. However, less attention has been given to the physiological ramifications of significant social loss and its associated stress. Project LoveSick is a new line of research examining the intersection of health and romantic relationship breakup to determine how individuals physically experience and recover from losing a close other using.
*Scott, K., Cope, M. A., & Maniaci, M. R., (2023) You are still a part of me: Effects of residual identity integration with ex-partners on current relationship outcomes. Presented at the SPSP Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA.
Cope, M. A. (in prep) From heart break to body ache: Trajectories of physiological experiences shortly following romantic dissolution.
Research Mentorship
Undergraduate mentorship is integral to our lab's productivity and culture. Students training in our lab become certified human subjects researchers through the University Institutional Review Board allowing them to get hands-on experience conducting in-person research. They also create independent project presentations unique to their interests in the field of relationship science. Those participating in the lab in the Spring semester present their work at national and campus research conferences.
Meet the students: FALL 2026
jazzy damuluri
Pronouns: he/him
Year: Junior
Role: Associate Researcher
Project: Differential effects of dissolution in queer and non-queer relationships
Nancy Fry
Pronouns: she/her
Year: Junior
Role: Associate Researcher
Project: Sex-adelic: An exploratory thematic analysis of first person sexual experiences on psychadellics
greta gonzaelz
Pronouns: she/her
Year: Senior
Role: Assistant Researcher
Project: TBA
Lauren Radeker
Pronouns: she/her
Year: Senior
Role: Associate Researcher
Project: Differential effects of dissolution in queer and non-queer relationships
Tirta maharani
Pronouns: she/her
Year: Senior
Role: Associate Researcher
Project: TBA
Student researcher archives
Check out images from past researchers from the Relationship Science Centre (Centre College, 2024-present) and the Close Relationships Lab (Florida Atlantic University, 2020-2024)!
Research Alumni
We are thrilled to celebrate the contributions and future plans of student researchers who have graduated after doing research with Dr. Cope! Those who completed independent lab experiences are prepared to take on whatever their chosen next steps are. In addition to securing employment in a field related to psychology, many alum continue their education in psychological science and services and gain acceptance to graduate MA, PhD, PsyD, MSW programs, and more!
TBA!
TBA!
TBA!
TBA!
Congrats to Massiel Mora-Fernandez for completing her Bachelor's in Psychology as a Grissom Scholar! As part of the frifirst cohort ever at the Relationship Science Centre, Massiel co-designed, executed, and presented novel research on ghosting and the self concept. She presented her work at two professional conferences including the Midwestern Psychological Association! Massiel is now working as an ABA technician helping children with autism.
We celebrate Peyton Gahm for earning her Bachelor's degree in Psychology as a full-time four-year student athlete. As part of the RSC, Peyton investigated platonic and romantic relationship breakup with a focus on self-change and uncertainty. She presented her research on and off campus to diverse audiences, and findings from her work were shared as part of Yahoo Life's 2025 article on friendship breakups! Now, she will be pursuing her Msaster's degree at the University of Louisville!
Thank you Claire Yungbluth! Although Claire is not graduating until the Spring of 2026, she served a full year in the RSC conducting research on friendship and romantic breakups. Her original work was showcased at conferences and on campus, and contributed to Yahoo Life's 2025 article on Friendship Breakup along with Peyton Gham! We can't wait to see what Claire does with her Senior year at Centre College.