D.Phil - Social/Personality Psychology
Michigan State University - 2011
Robert Ackerman
Associate Professor - School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Professional Preparation
M.A. - Social/Personality Psychology
Michigan State University - 2009
Michigan State University - 2009
B.A. - Psychology
Monmouth University - 2004
Monmouth University - 2004
Research Areas
Research Interests
My research addresses questions about interpersonal relationships using methods and models from both social and personality psychology. It is characterized by three broad lines of work. First, I am interested in developmental factors that contribute to the functioning of adult romantic relationships. My second line of research focuses on how narcissistic attributes impact the development of relationships and how such attributes affect important relationship outcomes in ongoing relationships. Finally, because my substantive interests involve processes that occur within relationships and therefore often involve non-independent data, I am particularly interested in analytic models for both cross-sectional and longitudinal dyadic data.
Publications
Kashy, D. A., Ackerman, R. A. , & Donnellan, M. B. (under review). Analyzing cross-sectional
and longitudinal dyadic data. In T. Little (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Quantitative
Methods. New York: Oxford University Press. under review - Publication
Ackerman, R. A., Donnellan, M. B., Kashy, D. A., & Conger, R. D. (2012). Dyadic data
analyses in a developmental context. In B. Laursen, T. Little, & N. Card (Eds.),
Handbook of Developmental Research Methods (pp. 537-556). New York: The Guilford Press. 2012 - Publication
Ackerman, R. A., Witt, E. A., Donnellan, M. B., Trzesniewski, K. H., Robins, R. W., & Kashy,
D. A. (2011). What does the Narcissistic Personality Inventory really measure?
Assessment, 18, 67-87. 2012 - Publication
Ackerman, R. A., Kashy, D. A., Donnellan, M. B., & Conger, R. D. (2011). Positive
engagement behavior in observed family interactions: A social relations perspective.
Journal of Family Psychology, 25, 719-730. 2012 - Publication
Ackerman, R. A., Donnellan, M. B., & Robins, R. W. (2012). An item response theory
analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. Journal of Personality Assessment, 94,
141-155. 2012 - Publication
Ackerman, R. A., Donnellan, M. B., & Kashy, D. A. (2011). Working with dyadic data in
studies of emerging adulthood: Specific recommendations, general advice, and practical
tips. In F. Fincham & M. Cui (Eds.), Romantic Relationships in Emerging Adulthood (pp.
67-97). New York: Cambridge University Press. 2011 - Publication
Maxwell, K., Donnellan, M. B., Hopwood, C. J., & Ackerman, R. A. (2011). The two faces
of Narcissus? An empirical comparison of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and the
Pathological Narcissism Inventory. Personality and Individual Differences, 50, 577-582. 2011 - Publication
Ackerman, R. A., Ledermann, T., & Kenny, D. A. (2010). Using dyadic analysis in health
psychology. European Health Psychologist, 10, 12-14. 2010 - Publication
Kashy, D. A., Donnellan, M. B., Ackerman, R. A., & Russell, D. W. (2009). Reporting and
interpreting research in PSPB: Practices, principles, and pragmatics. Personality and
Social Psychology Bulletin, 35, 1131-1142. 2009 - Publication
Lewandowski, G. W., Jr., & Ackerman, R. A. (2006). Something’s missing: Need fulfillment
and self-expansion as predictors of susceptibility to infidelity. The Journal of Social
Psychology, 146, 389-404. 2006 - Publication
Appointments
Assistant Professor
University of Texas at Dallas [2011–Present]
University of Texas at Dallas [2011–Present]
Additional Information
Honors and Awards
University Enrichment Fellowship, Michigan State University, 2006-2011
Michigan State University Travel Awards, 2008-2010
Society for Personality and Social Psychology Diversity Fund Travel Award, 2011
Personal Statement
Dr. Robert A. Ackerman is an assistant professor in psychological sciences. Dr. Ackerman received his BA in psychology from Monmouth University in 2004, and he received his PhD in social and personality psychology from Michigan State University in 2011.