Katherine C. (KC) Haydon

she/her

  • Associate Professor of Psychology and Education
  • Co-Chair of Psychology and Education
Katherine (K.C.) Haydon

KC Haydon’s research examines the developmental origins of how people behave in their closest relationships. One central question in her work is how romantic partners’ individual developmental histories affect what happens in their current relationship – how they resolve conflicts, regulate and express emotions, and support each other. She also studies how close relationships with parents, friends, and romantic partners contribute to developmental outcomes, such as navigating the transition to adulthood. Haydon’s research is guided by the premise that such outcomes are probabilistically shaped by experiences in multiple contexts.

Areas of Expertise

Attachment processes in adolescence and adulthood; romantic relationship development and maintenance processes; physiological correlates of relationship functioning; close relationships as developmental contexts across the lifespan

Education

  • Ph.D., University of Minnesota
  • A.B., ³ÉÈËÊÓƵCollege

HAPPENING AT MOUNT HOLYOKE

Recent Campus News

KC Haydon’s research suggests that cannabis users aren’t as good as they think they are when it comes to dealing with conflicts in their relationships.

Mount Holyoke’s KC Haydon flipped her classroom to make discussion and building community among her students the focus of her course.

³ÉÈËÊÓƵhonored four professors for their scholarship and teaching at the annual Faculty Awards ceremony in early March, prior to the closing of campus.

Recent Publications

Groh, A. M., & Haydon, K. C. (2024). The Attachment Script Assessment: Introduction of a coding system to evaluate deactivation, hyperactivation, and anomalous content. Attachment & Human Development, 26(3), 203-211.

Groh, A. M., Haydon, K. C., & Caldo, P. (2024). Adult attachment assessed via the ASA and AAI: Empirical convergence and links with autonomic physiological responding during attachment assessments. Attachment & Human Development, 26(3), 212-232.

Groh, A. M., Xu, N., Patrick, M. M., Robinson, R., Hoeferle, B., & Haydon, K. C. (2024). Deactivation, hyperactivation, and anomalous content in the attachment script assessment: stability over time and significance for parenting behavior and physiology. Attachment & Human Development, 26(3), 233-252.

Haydon, K. C., & Groh, A. M. (2024). The predictive significance of attachment script assessment hyperactivation and deactivation: evidence of associations with romantic relationship functioning. Attachment & Human Development, 26(3), 253-271.

Haydon, K.C. & Salvatore, J. E. (2023). Relationship stress, arguments, and sleep quality: A within-subjects causal process analysis. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. DOI: 10.1177/02654075231190592

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