My research is broadly concerned with the human experience of meaning in life and well-being. My primary interests include happiness, meaning in life, the narrative construction of identity, and personality development in adulthood. I am also interested in ways that writing about life experiences influences psychological and physical health.
I am currently serving as the editor of the Personality and Individual Differences section of JPSP.
Primary Interests:
Emotion, Mood, Affect
Health Psychology
Life Satisfaction, Well-Being
Motivation, Goal Setting
Personality, Individual Differences
Self and Identity
Emotion, Mood, Affect
Health Psychology
Life Satisfaction, Well-Being
Motivation, Goal Setting
Personality, Individual Differences
Self and Identity
Journal Articles:
Biswas-Diener, R., Kashdan, T., & King, L. A. (2009). Two traditions of happiness research, not two
distinct types of happiness. Journal of Positive Psychology, 4, 208-211.
Burton, C. M., & King, L. A. (2009). The benefits of writing about positive experiences: Applying the broaden and build model. Psychology and Health, 24, 867-879.
Burton, C. M., & King, L. A. (2008). The effects of (very) brief writing on health: The 2-minute miracle. British Journal of Health Psychology, 13, 9-14.
Hicks, J. A., & King, L. A. (2009). Meaning in Life as a Judgment and Lived Experience. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 3, 638-653.
King, L. A., Burton, C. M, Hicks, J. A, & Drigotas, S. M. (2007). Ghosts, UFOs, and Magic: Positive Affect and the Experiential System. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 905-919.
King, L. A., Burton, C. M, Hicks, J. A, & Drigotas, S. M. (2007). Ghosts, UFOs, and Magic: Positive Affect and the Experiential System. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 905-919.
King, L. A., & Hicks, J. A. (2009). Positive Affect, Intuition, and Referential Thinking. Personality and Individual Differences, 46, 719-724.
King, L. A. & Hicks, J. A. (2009). The detection and construction of meaning in life events. Journal of Positive Psychology, 4, 317-330.
King, L. A., & Hicks, J. A. (2007). Whatever happened to “what might have been”? Regret, happiness, and maturity. American Psychologist,62, 625-636.
King, L. A., Hicks, J.A., Abdelkhalik, J. (2009, in press). Death, Life, Scarcity, and Value: An alternative approach to the meaning of death. Psychological Science.
King, L. A., Hicks, J. A., & Krull, J., & Del Gaiso, A. K.. (2006). Positive affect and the experience of meaning in life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 90, in press.
King, L.A., & Raspin, C. (2004). Lost and found possible selves, well-being and ego development in divorced women. Journal of Personality, 72, 603-631.
King, L. A., & Smith, N. G. (2004). Gay and straight possible selves: Goals, identity, subjective well -being, and personality development. Journal of Personality, 72,967-994.
King, L. A., & Smith, S. N. (2005). Happy, mature, and gay: Intimacy, power, and difficult times in coming out stories. Journal of Research in Personality, 39, 278-298.
Lyubomirsky, S., King, L. A., & Diener, E. (2005). The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect: Does Happiness Lead to Success? Psychological Bulletin, 131, 803-855.
Courses Taught:
Goals, Mood, and Health
Graduate Seminar in Personality
Introduction to Personality
Introductory Psychology
Personality and Social Development
Personality Psychology
The Psychology of Character
Goals, Mood, and Health
Graduate Seminar in Personality
Introduction to Personality
Introductory Psychology
Personality and Social Development
Personality Psychology
The Psychology of Character
Laura A. King Department of Psychological Sciences
210 McAlester Hall
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
United States
Phone: (573) 882-6389
Last edited by profile holder: November 15, 2009
Visits since June 9, 2001: 55,702