Morgan Cope

BIOGRAPHY

Morgan Cope joined Centre College as an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Fall of 2024. Her scholarship focuses on the intersection of the self and romantic relationships, exploring how individual’s identities shape – and are shaped by – connections with close others. She is particularly interested in relationship dissolution recovery, with an emphasis on identity restoration and psychological well-being after breakup. Dr. Cope has published research on motivated maladaptive relationship behaviors and has emerging interest in breakup-induced physical health outcomes as well as self-change dynamics in individuals identifying as LGBTQIA+. She employs novel research methods from dynamical social psychology to capture variability in intra- and interpersonal processes. 

Prior to her appointment, Morgan was a PhD candidate at Florida Atlantic University. In addition to completing her doctoral degree, she served as a course instructor for Social Psychology, Statistics, and Research Methods. Morgan managed the Close Relationships Laboratory conducting research in the field of Relationship Science and mentoring undergraduate students.

AFFILIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS

• Society for Personality and Social Psychology 
• APA Division 2 Society for the Teaching of Psychology
• International Association for Relationship Research
• American Psychological Association
• Psi Chi International Honors Society

COURSES TAUGHT

• Psychology of Sexuality
• Social Psychology
• Survey of Psychological Science

PUBLICATIONS

• Cope, M. A., Reinka, M. A., & Mattingly, B. A. (2024). Ready for the next step: Novel commitment amplification in romantic relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 41(6), 1481-1509. 
• Cope, M. A. & Mattingly, B. A. (2021). Putting me back together by getting back together: Post-dissolution self-concept confusion predicts rekindling desire in anxiously attached individuals. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 38(1), 384-392.
• McIntyre, K., Mattingly, B., Gorban, S., & Cope, M. A. (2020). Do the consequences of relationship-induced self-concept change extend across partners? An actor-partner interdependence model approach. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 37(5), 1-9.