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Maxwell Jessica, Assistant Professor

Jessica Maxwell

Assistant Professor

Faculty
Department of Health Aging & Society

Area(s) of Interest:

Biography

People are increasingly drawing their sense of self-worth from the quality of their long-term romantic relationships and expect a passionate sex life as part of a fulfilling relationship. In my research, I examine how couples can best maximize their sexual well-being.


In particular, I assess how individual differences in expectations and perceptions influence sexual and relationship well-being, examining factors such as how individuals expect they can best maintain sexual satisfaction, how accurate they are in detecting their partners’ feelings and sexual preferences, and how political beliefs may shape sexual satisfaction. I also investigate the insecurities individuals hold that may jeopardize their relationship success. For example, exploring how those with anxious and avoidant attachment experience casual sex encounters, how those high in fear of being single fare at speed-dating, and how people high in perfectionism experience work-life balance.


To tackle these research questions, I use a variety of methods, including longitudinal, dyadic, experience sampling, experimental, speed-dating, eye-tracking, and implicit assessments.
My current research focuses on the generalisability of existing findings in the literature, such as examining whether findings hold true across different sexual orientations and socioeconomic statuses.


I am recruiting graduate students for 2023 and am open to investigating various topics at the intersection of sexuality and relationships.

Education

PhD in Psychology, University of Toronto (2017)

MA in Psychology, University of Toronto (2012)

BA Honours with Distinction in Psychology, Queen’s University (2011)

Research

Joel, S., Maxwell, J. A., Peetz, J., Baucom, B. R. W., & MacDonald, G. (in press). Expect and You Shall Perceive: People Who Are Happier with Their Relationships Expect and in Turn Perceive More Effort from Their Partners. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Girme, Y. & Maxwell, J. A. (in press). Interpersonal Cognition: Seeking, Understanding, Maintaining and Dissolving Close Relationships. In Carlson, D. & Johnson, K. (Eds.), Handbook of Social Cognition.

Baxter, A., Maxwell, J.A., Bales, K. L., Finkel, E. J., Impett, E. A., & Eastwick, P. W. (2022). Initial impressions of compatibility and mate value predict later dating and romantic interest. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 119 (45) e2206925119. 

Tu, E., Maxwell, J. A., Kim, J. J., Peragine, D. P., Impett, E. A., & Muise, A. (2022). Is my Attachment Style Showing? Perceptions of a Date’s Attachment Style and Romantic and Sexual Interest During a Speed-Dating Event. Journal of Research in Personality, 100, 104269. 

Harrington, A., Overall, N. C. & Maxwell, J. A., (2022). Feminine Gender Role Discrepancy Strain and Women’s Self-Esteem in Daily and Weekly Life: A Person x Context Perspective. Sex Roles, 87, 35-51.

Peragine, D. E., Skorska, M. N., Maxwell, J. A., Impett, E. A., & VanderLaan, D. P. (2022). A Learning Experience? Enjoyment at Sexual Debut and the Gender Gap in Sexual Desire Among Emerging Adults Manuscript. The Journal of Sex Research. Advance online publication. Link to Article 

Peragine, D. E., Skorska, M. N., Maxwell, J. A., Impett, E. A., & VanderLaan, D. P. (2022). The risks and benefits of being "early to bed": Toward a broader understanding of age at sexual debut and sexual health in adulthood. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 19, 1343-1358.

Gauvin, S., Merwin, K., Kilimnik, C. D., Maxwell, J. A., & Sakaluk, J. K. (2021). It's all Greek to me: Summarizing, explaining, and computing traditional and (re)emerging metrics of reliability for seven measures in sexual science. Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality. Advanced online publication. Link to Article 

Winner of the 1st Annual Michael Barrett CSRF Best Student Manuscript Award

Raposo, S., Rosen, N. O., Corsini-Munt, S., Maxwell, J. A., & Muise, A. (2021). Navigating Low Desire: Sexual Growth and Destiny Beliefs and Couples’ Well-Being. Journal of Sex Research. Advanced online publication. Link to Article 

Rossi, M. A., Maxwell, J. A., & Rosen, N. O. (2021). Biased partner perceptions of women’s pain self-efficacy in postpartum pain during intercourse: A dyadic longitudinal examination. The Journal of Pain, 21, 1047-1059.

Joel, S.,... Maxwell, J.A.,… Wolf, S. (2020). Machine learning uncovers the most robust self-report predictors of relationship quality across 43 longitudinal couples studies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117, 19061-19071.

Maxwell, J.A., & Meltzer, A. L. (2020). Kiss and Makeup? Examining the Co-occurrence of Sex and Conflict. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49, 2883-2892.

Sanscartier, S., Maxwell, J. A., & Lockwood, P. (2020). No effect of attachment avoidance on visual disengagement from a romantic partner’s face. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 37, 2166-2183.

Schrage, K. M., Maxwell, J. A., Impett, E. A., Keltner, D., & MacDonald, G. (2020). Effects of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication of Affection on Avoidantly Attached Partners’ Emotions and Message Receptiveness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 46, 1567-1580.

Spielmann, S.S., Maxwell, J. A., MacDonald, G., Peragine, D., & Impett, E. A. (2020). The Predictive Effects of Fear of Being Single on Physical Attractiveness
and Less Selective Partner Selection Strategies. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 37, 100-123.

McNulty, J.K., Maxwell, J.A., Meltzer, A. L., & Baumeister, R.F. (2019). Sex-differentiated Changes in Sexual Desire Predict Marital Dissatisfaction. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48, 2473-2489.

Nunez Segovia, A., Maxwell, J. A., DiLorenzo, M. G., & MacDonald, G.  (2019). No strings attached? How attachment orientation is related to the varieties of casual sexual relationships. Personality and Individual Differences, 151, 109455.

Maxwell, J.A. & McNulty, J.K. (2019). No Longer in a ‘Dry Spell’: The Developing Understanding of How Sex Influences Romantic Relationships. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28, 102-107.

Baumeister, R.F., Maxwell, J.A., Thomas, G.P., & Vohs, K.D. (2019). The mask of love and sexual gullibility. In J. Forgas & R. Baumeister (Eds.), The social psychology of gullibility (pp. 21-41). New York: Routledge Psychology Press.

Muise, A., Maxwell, J. A., & Impett, E. A. (2018). What theories and methods from relationship research can contribute to sex research. Annual Review of Sex Research, 55, 540-562.

Maxwell, J. A., Muise, A., MacDonald, G., Day, L. C., Rosen, N. O. & Impett, E. A. (2017) How implicit theories of sexuality shape sexual and relationship well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 112, 238-279. 

Maxwell, J. A., Spielmann, S. S., Joel, S., & MacDonald, G. (2013). Attachment theory as a framework for understanding responses to social exclusion. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 7, 444-456.

Spielmann, S. S., MacDonald, G., Maxwell, J. A., Joel, S., Peragine, D., Muise, A., & Impett, E. A. (2013). Settling for less out of fear of being single. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105, 1049-1073.

Spielmann, S. S., Maxwell, J. A., MacDonald, G., & Baratta, P. L. (2013). Don’t get your hopes up: Avoidantly attached individuals perceive lower social reward when there is potential for intimacy. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 39, 91-107.