Daphne B. Bugental
Professor, Psychology
Current Research: Daphne B. Bugental
Daphne Bugental combines insights from social, developmental, and evolutionary
psychology in studying the processes that regulate interpersonal interaction.
Her research reports the factors that predict (or prevent) physically or
emotionally damaging responses to stigmatized others, for example, children born
at medical risk, immigrant populations, and older adults. As one example,
mothers who manifest a sense of powerlessness were found to be more likely to
demonstrate harsh or abusive tactics with “difficult” children. Such responses
were found to be preventable when mothers participated in an intervention that
led to reduced maternal depression and enhanced “investment” in “at risk”
children. Children, in turn, showed reduced stress (as measured by their
cortisol levels), and enhanced cognitive and social development.
Selected Publications: Daphne B. Bugental
Bugental, D. B., Beaulieu, D. A., O’Brien, E. Cayan, L., Fowler, E., Ellerson,
P. C. (in press). Reactivity to stress: When does a history of medical adversity
foster resilience versus vulnerability? Journal of Applied Social Psychology.
Bugental, D. B., & Schwartz, A. (2009). A cognitive approach to child
mistreatment prevention among medically at-risk infants. Developmental
Psychology, 45, 284-288.
Beaulieu, D. A., & Bugental, D. B. (2008). Contingent parental investment: An
evolutionary framework for understanding early interaction between mothers and
children. Evolution and Human Behavior, 29, 249-255.
Bugental, D. B., Beaulieu, D. A. & Schwartz, A. (2008). Hormonal sensitivity of
preterm versus full-term infants to the effects of maternal depression. Infant
Behavior and Development, 31, 51-61.
Bugental, D. B., & Hehman, J. A. (2007). Ageism: A review of research and policy
implications. Social Issues and Policy Review, 1, 173-216.
Azzam, T. I., Beaulieu, D. A., & Bugental, D. B. (2007). Anxiety and hostility
to an “outsider,” as moderated by low perceived power. Emotion, 7, 660-667.
Bugental, D. B., & Grusec, J. E. (2006). Socialization theory. In N. Eisenberg
(Vol. Ed.), Handbook of Child Psychology. Volume 3: Social, emotional, and
personality development (pp. 366-428). NY: Wiley.
Bugental, D. B., & Happaney, K. (2004). Predicting infant maltreatment in
low-income families: The interactive effects of maternal attributions and child
status at birth. Developmental Psychology, 40, 234-243.
Bugental, D. B., Martorell, G. A., & Barraza, V. (2003). The hormonal costs of
subtle forms of infant maltreatment. Hormones and Behavior, 43, 237-244.
Bugental, D. B., Ellerson, P. C., Lin, E. K., Rainey, B., Kokotovic, A., &
O'Hara, N. (2002). A cognitive approach to child abuse prevention. Journal of
Family Psychology, 16, 243-258.
Bugental, D. B. (2000). Acquisition of the algorithms of social life: A
domain-based approach. Psychological Bulletin. 26, 187-209.
Contact Information
Phone: (805) 893-3706
Fax: (805) 893-4303
E-Mail: bugental@psych.ucsb.edu
Office: Psychology East (Building 251), Room 3814
Mailing Address
Department of Psychology
University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9660
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