My primary area of interest is how romantic relationships develop during emerging adulthood (e.g., when does a couple first refer to themselves as a couple? When is it typical to introduce a partner to parents?). Romantic relationships during this time are different from adolescent dating because romantic relationships tend to become more serious and last longer during emerging adulthood. More specifically, I am interested in how couple interaction changes throughout the development of a romantic relationship (e.g., when do couples typically have their first fight? when does violence first occur?).