Christopher R. Agnew

Christopher R. Agnew is a Professor of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University with courtesy appointments in the Department of Communication and Department of Political Science. He specializes in social psychology with a focus on interpersonal relationships, commitment processes, and relationship dynamics across various contexts including digital environments.

Dr. Agnew received his undergraduate degree (B.S.F.S.) from Georgetown University and his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His academic credentials have positioned him as a leading researcher in relationship science with significant contributions to understanding how people form, maintain, and dissolve relationships.

Dr. Agnew's research program centers on interpersonal relationships, with particular expertise in commitment processes, dissolution mechanisms, social network influences, relationship timing, and the impact of technology on modern relationships. His work bridges social psychology with health and wellness domains, especially in developmental health and vital longevity. Through innovative methodologies, he has developed frameworks for understanding relationship dynamics across diverse contexts and life stages, from traditional face-to-face interactions to emerging digital relationship forms.

His publication trajectory reveals a consistent focus on relationship commitment with a notable expansion into digital contexts in recent years. While maintaining core theoretical interests in commitment processes, his work has evolved to examine novel relationship forms including online camming relationships and virtual reality connections, demonstrating both theoretical continuity and adaptation to contemporary relationship landscapes.

• Early Career Award from Relationships Researchers Interest Group of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology
• Fellow of seven major psychological associations including Association for Psychological Science and American Psychological Association
• General Editor of Cambridge University Press book series Advances in Personal Relationships
• President of the International Association for Relationship Research

Dr. Agnew has secured substantial research funding from diverse sources including federal agencies (National Institutes of Health), private foundations (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), and corporations (Meta). He has served on editorial boards for leading journals including Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and has held significant academic leadership positions as Head of Psychological Sciences at Purdue and Associate Vice President for Research. His interdisciplinary approach connects relationship science with health outcomes through initiatives like Purdue's Cancer Prevention Interdisciplinary Education Program.

Dr. Agnew leads research initiatives examining the intersection of interpersonal relationships and health, where social and clinical psychology converge. His work often involves interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly through Purdue's Cancer Prevention Interdisciplinary Education Program, and has significant implications for understanding how relationship dynamics affect physical and mental wellbeing across the lifespan.