Shelly Gable

Shelly Gable is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), part of the College of Letters & Science. She joined UCSB in 2007 after serving as an Assistant Professor at UCLA, where she earned tenure and co-founded the Interdisciplinary Relationship Science Program. Her research focuses on motivation, close relationships, and positive emotions, with funding from NIH, NSF, and the Positive Psychology Network. She leads the EMBeR Lab (Emotions in Motivation, Biology, and Relationships).

Education:

• Ph.D. in Social Psychology, University of Rochester (2000)
• MA in Psychology, College of William & Mary
• BA in Psychology, Muhlenberg College

Research Interests: Dr. Gable examines how approach/avoidance motives shape social interactions, particularly in close relationships. She investigates positive emotions' role in relationship quality and health outcomes, emphasizing responsiveness and support during positive events. Her work bridges social psychology with health science, exploring mechanisms like gratitude, secrecy, and stress buffering.

Awards:

• PECASE (2006)
• Berscheid-Hatfield Award (2020)
• Early Career Award (2005)

Grants & Labs: Current NSF CAREER grant supports her research on motivational systems. The EMBeR Lab employs innovative methodologies like ecological momentary assessment to study real-time social dynamics.