Ascan Koerner

Ascan Koerner is a Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Minnesota's College of Liberal Arts, where he also serves as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education. His research focuses on family communication patterns, social cognition, and interpersonal influence, particularly examining conversation orientation and conformity orientation in family dynamics. He has published extensively in journals like Communication Monographs and Journal of Family Communication, with work addressing topics such as social support transmission, conflict communication, and the impact of family communication on adolescent adjustment. His research extends to cross-cultural studies using Relational Model Theory and applications of evolutionary psychology to interpersonal relationships. Koerner earned his Ph.D. in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998.

His recent publications explore expanded conformity orientation scales, parent-adolescent relationships in IVF families, and emotion regulation strategies in family interactions. Articles highlight how family communication patterns shape social support skills, conflict resolution, and relational schema development. While no awards are explicitly mentioned, his work is affiliated with the University of Minnesota’s Family Social Science department and has been cited widely in communication and family studies domains. He teaches graduate courses in interpersonal communication, persuasion, and communication theory.