Jane Bybee, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology
B.A., University of Virginia (Psychology); M.A., Ph.D., Yale University (Psychology)

Specialty Areas

Developmental psychology, personality, emotions

My main line of research focuses on the role of guilt in psychopathology as well as social and goal-directed behavior. This research has demonstrated that predispositional guilt (a personality proclivity) is not maladaptive and shows positive correlations with scholastic achievement, prosocial behavior, and adherence to a medical regime. In contrast, chronic, lingering guilt is correlated with depression, eating disturbances, and antisocial behavior. In a second line of research, I examine the ideal self-image, its functions and development. One recent study explored differences in the content and functions of the ideal, ought, and fantasy self-images. Others explored age-related changes in the content of the ideal self-image and nightmare, or undesired self-image. In a third line of research, I explore outerdirectedness in special populations such as children with mental retardation or those who have been victims of abuse and neglect. Mentally retarded children are much more imitative (or outerdirected) than children who are not mentally retarded. I have also found that abused children are more outerdirected than neglected children. Maltreated children who have been beaten may be wary of adults and reluctant to adopt cues offered by them whereas neglect may increase the child’s desire for establishing a social rapport through imitation.

Selected Publications

Quiles, Z.N., Kinnunen, T., & Bybee, J.  (2002).  Aspects of guilt and self-reported substance use in adolescence.  Journal of Drug Education, 32, 343-362.
           
Bybee, J., & Wells, Y. (2003).  Possible selves: Differences across age and gender.  J. Demick & C. Andreoletti (Eds.), Handbook of Adult Development.  New York: Kluwer/Plenum Press.
           
Bybee, J., & Wells, Y. (2006).  Possible selves: Diverse perspectives across the life span.  Journal of Adult Development, 13.
 
Landa, C. E. & Bybee, J. A.  (2007).  Adaptive elements of aging: Self-image discrepancy, perfectionism, and eating problems.  Developmental Psychology, 43, 83-93.
 
Donatelli, J. L.,  Bybee J. A., & Buka. S. L.  (in press). What do mothers make adolescents feel guilty about?  Incidents, reactions, and relation to depression.  Journal of Child and Family Studies.