Dr. Katherine (KC) Haydon studies attachment processes in adolescence and adulthood; romantic relationship development and maintenance processes; physiological correlates of relationship functioning; and close relationships as developmental contexts across the lifespan.

Dr. Haydon's research examines the developmental origins of how people behave in their closest relationships. One central question in her work is how romantic partners’ individual developmental histories affect what happens in their current relationship – how they resolve conflicts, regulate and express emotions, and support each other. She also studies how close relationships with parents, friends, and romantic partners contribute to developmental outcomes, such as navigating the transition to adulthood. Haydon’s research is guided by the premise that such outcomes are probabilistically shaped by experiences in multiple contexts.