Elaine Perunovic

Elaine Perunovic is an Associate Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of New Brunswick (UNB), where she also serves as Director of the Psychology PhD Program. Her research focuses on social and personality psychology, emphasizing cultural influences on self-concept, motivation, and well-being.

Key Research Areas:

• Cultural shaping of identity and subjective well-being
• Contextualized personality dynamics
• Bilingualism and multiculturalism in social interactions
• Psychological adaptation to new cultural environments
• Intercultural relationship dynamics
• Language-specific emotional structures

Research Trends: Recent publications examine cross-cultural behavioral patterns, including kin altruism (2019), power-authenticity-well-being interactions (2013), and language-mediated emotional dynamics (2007). Her 2020 work investigates parental responses to academic social comparisons in elementary education contexts.

Scientific Awards & Grants:

• SSHRC Insight Grant (2025)
• Harrison McCain Young Scholar Award (2008)
• UNB University Research Fund (2024, 2019, 2016, 2009, 2008)
• Multiple teaching award nominations across three decades
• SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship (2007)

Laboratory: Affiliated with the CASPR Lab (Culture, Affect, Social Psychology Research) at UNB, focusing on cultural contexts in psychological processes.