Robert W. Levenson | Research UC Berkeley

Research Expertise and Interest

aging, gender, culture, brain, psychology, emotion, psychophysiology, marriage, clinical science, interpersonal interactions, dementia, relationships, neurodegenerative disease

Research Description

Robert Levenson's research program is in the area of human emotion, studying the organization of physiological, behavioral and subjective systems; the ways that these systems are impacted by neuropathology, normal aging, and culture; the role that emotions play in the maintenance and disruption of committed relationships; and the impact of providing care for a person with dementia on the health of familial caregivers.

In the News
Featured in the Media
Teaching
Publications

In the News

Older couple having fun together at a fairground carnival.

Sweet Vibes Between Longtime Couples Are Tied to Longer, Healthier Lives

Hold back on the bickering. Couples who share sweet moments filled with humor and affection, and sync up biologically — two hearts beating as one — enjoy better health prospects and live longer than their more quarrelsome counterparts, suggests new UC Berkeley research.

A child looking out from a cave at the ocean.

Overcoming pandemic cave syndrome: Why is it so complicated?

For U.S. workers and students who have toiled remotely in isolation or in pods for the past year and a half, reentering offices, classrooms and other old stomping grounds, starting this fall, is likely to range from exhilarating to downright nerve-wracking.

Old man with coffee cup staring out of window.

‘Eye in the sky’ sensors reduce stress of in-home dementia care

People caring around the clock for a parent, spouse or other loved one with dementia are at a high risk for clinical anxiety, depression, social isolation and even suicidal ideation, according to longitudinal research from UC Berkeley. But thanks to a blend of artificial intelligence (AI) and behavioral science, relief may be on the horizon.

People voting in the Bronx borough of New York.

America on edge: Berkeley scholars’ early election thoughts

UC Berkeley scholars awoke Wednesday, Nov. 4 to signs of a deeply divided U.S. electorate, and no blue wave on the horizon. Despite a surge in early voting, ballots were still being counted in several battleground states. As of noon that day, the race between President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden remained too close to call.

couple wearing masks during coronavirus pandemic

How can I miss you when you won’t go away? A couple’s survival guide

Dinner at home was not on the menu when Jennifer Monahan planned her 10th wedding anniversary. But that was before the coronavirus pandemic drove hundreds of millions of couples around the globe indoors and into intensive togetherness, for better or for worse.

Hang in there. As couples age, humor replaces bickering

Honeymoon long over? Hang in there. A new UC Berkeley study shows those prickly disagreements that can mark the early and middle years of marriage mellow with age as conflicts give way to humor and acceptance.

Dementia patients may die sooner if family caregivers are mentally stressed

Patients with dementia may actually die sooner if their family caregivers are mentally stressed, according to a new UC Berkeley study.

Forever Valentine: Study shows marriage gets better in old age

UC Berkeley psychologist Robert Levenson looks back on his longitudinal study of 156 middle-aged and older couples in the San Francisco Bay Area who survived the slings and arrows of early wedlock.

Wedded bliss or blues? Scientists link DNA to marital satisfaction

What makes some people more prone to wedded bliss or sorrow than others? Researchers at UC Berkeley and Northwestern University have found a major clue in our DNA. A gene involved in the regulation of serotonin can predict how much our emotions affect our relationships, according to a new study that may be the first to link genetics, emotions, and marital satisfaction.

Meditation beats dance for harmonizing body and mind

The body is a dancer’s instrument, but is it attuned to the mind? A new study from UC Berkeley suggests that professional ballet and modern dancers are not as emotionally in sync with their bodies as are people who regularly practice Vipassana or mindfulness meditation.

Emotional intelligence peaks as we enter our 60s, research suggests

Older people have a hard time keeping a lid on their feelings, especially when viewing heartbreaking or disgusting scenes in movies and reality shows, psychologists have found. But they’re better than their younger counterparts at seeing the positive side of a stressful situation and empathizing with the less fortunate, according to research from UC Berkeley.

Featured in the Media

Please note: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or positions of UC Berkeley.

December 5, 2018

Why Older Married Couples Are More Likely To Laugh Than Bicker

The Independent (UK)

Sabrina Barr

Couples who stick together and weather the strains of the early and middle years of their marriages tend to replace bickering with humor and understanding as they age, according to a new study led by psychology professor Robert Levenson and recent doctoral alum Alice Verstaen. The study tracked dozens of couples who'd been married for 15 to 35 years, looking at the quality of their emotional interactions over the course of 13 years. "Our findings shed light on one of the great paradoxes of late life," Professor Levenson says. "Despite experiencing the loss of friends and family, older people in stable marriages are relatively happy and experience low rates of depression and anxiety. Marriage has been good for their mental health." For more on this, see our press release at Berkeley News. Stories on this topic have appeared in dozens of sources around the world, including the Times of India, Daily Mail (UK), New York Post, Pourquoidocteur (France), Ansa (Italy), NU.nl (Netherlands), Infosalus (Spain), Liputan6 (Indonesia), Aponet (Germany), Stylist (UK), ZME Science, and Business Standard (India).

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