Kara Joyner
kjoyner@bgsu.edu 
(419)372 -7166
Curriculum Vitae

Associate Professor of Sociology

Ph.D., The University of Chicago, 1997 

Dr. Joyner’s research addresses how a variety of factors influence the formation and dynamics of friendships and sexual relationships, including single relationships (e.g., dating), cohabiting relationships, and marriages.  It also considers how different types of relationships influence individual well-being, and it examines the factors that moderate this influence.  Her research uses quantitative methods to test hypotheses developed from rational choice and social psychological perspectives.  It involves researchers not only from sociology, but those with training in psychology, economics, and multi-disciplinary programs. Currently Dr. Joyner is a Co-Principal Investigator on an NIH-funded program project (directed by H. Elizabeth Peters) that examines the transition to fatherhood. As Co-PI, she has been organizing and conducting core analyses that evaluate the quality of men’s reports of births in the NSFG 2002, NLSY 79, and NLSY 97.

Recent Publications:

Joyner, Kara, H. Elizabeth Peters, Kathryn Hynes, Asia Sikora, Jamie Rubenstein, & Michael Rendall. (Forthcoming). "Quality of Male Fertility Data in Major U.S. Surveys." Demography.

Joyner, Kara. (2009). “Justice and the Fate of Married and Cohabiting Couples.” Social Psychology Quarterly 72(1):61-76.

Joyner, Kara. (2009). “Interracial Friendship” In Harry T. Reis and Susan Sprecher (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Human Relationships. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Joyner, Kara. (2009). “Contraception,” In Richard Shweder (Ed.), The Chicago Companion to the Child. Pp. 213-214. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Joyner, Kara. (2009). “Adolescent Childbearing,” In Richard Shweder (Ed.), The Chicago Companion to the Child. Pp. 163-164. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Kathryn Hynes, Kara Joyner, H. Elizabeth Peters, and Felicia Yang. (2008). “The Transition to Early Fatherhood: National Estimates Based on Multiple Surveys.” Demographic Research 18(12):337-376.

Julie Carmalt, John Cawley, Kara Joyner, and Jeffery Sobal. (2008). “Body Weight and Matching with a Physically Attractive Romantic Partner” Journal of Marriage and the Family 70(5):1287-1296.

Joyner, Kara. (2008). “Transition to Parenthood” In Deborah Carr (Ed.), Encyclopedia of the Life Course and Human Development. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale.

Cawley, John, Kara Joyner, and Jeffery Sobal. (2006). “The Relationship Between Adolescent Obesity and Dating, Sex, Condom Use, and Pregnancy.” Rationality and Society 18(1):67-94.

Kao, Grace and Kara Joyner. (2006). “Do Hispanic and Asian Adolescents Practice Panethnicity in Friendship Choices?” Social Science Quarterly 87(5):972-992.

Joyner, Kara and Mary Campa. (2006). “How do Adolescent Relationships Influence the Quality of Romantic and Sexual Relationship in Young Adulthood.” In Alan Booth and Ann C. Crouter (Eds.), Romance and Sex in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: Risks and Opportunities. Pp. 93-102. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates.