A core idea involved in our research is that people commit to identities that meaningfully define who they are and, because of a fundamental need to belong, these identities are often social or relational identities. People pursue and persist longer at goals relevant to their identities and also resist threats or challenges to such goals (Auger et al., 2016; Linardatos & Lydon, 2011). People are especially distressed about severe threats to or loss of a committed identity (Auger et al., 2017).

We study factors that promote and interfere with the formation and development of intimate relationships. For example, how does attachment anxiety undermine one’s presentation to others and one’s ability to accurately perceive others at speed dating (McClure et al., 2010)? Even people in satisfying relationships face a variety of challenges to their relationships. For example, how do people respond to a partner transgression or to meeting an attractive flirtatious person (Lydon & Karremans, 2015; Menzies-Toman & Lydon, 2005)?

A person may have a positive view of their partner while overlooking or minimizing their partner’s shortcomings (Gagné & Lydon, 2004). However, some types of judgements in some contexts can lead a person to see their partner with some degree of accuracy (Gagné & Lydon, 2001). Whereas our previous research focused on the perceiver being able to regulate needs for esteem and accuracy, our current research also considers the impact of such perceptions on one’s partner (Tissera et al., 2022).

A subset of women from the Montreal Prematurity Study were recruited and enrolled in the New Mothers Study. Women who had infants born with significant health problems were overrepresented in the sample. In the Maternal Adversity, Vulnerability, and Neurodevelopment (MAVAN) Project, which utilizes data from the Prematurity and New Mothers Studies, we examine maternal adversity and identify potential moderators of the effects of maternal adversity on the cognitive and emotional development of children (Bouvette-Turcot et al., 2017; Green et al., 2017).