Paige Harris (2023)

Paige Harris is a doctoral candidate in Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara, studying interpersonal relationships, health, and well-being. In particular, she investigates how health behaviors (physical activity, sleep) can be a catalyst for good health and happy relationships.

In her first year of graduate school, Paige developed a theoretical model linking physical activity to positive social outcomes. She argues that engaging in physical activity provides individuals with emotional, cognitive, and physiological resources that enable them to think, feel, and behave more positively toward others, which then promotes relationship closeness and connection. For her dissertation, she will conduct a quasi-experimental field study and an experimental lab study to test her developing model. Paige is grateful to receive support from the National Institute of Social Sciences Dissertation Grant that will enable her to successfully complete these studies and contribute to the science of interpersonal relationships and health.

In addition to her doctoral degree, Paige is completing a master’s degree in Applied Statistics with an emphasis in Data Science. Prior to attending UC Santa Barbara, Paige earned a B.S. and special honors in Human Development and Family Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin.