Victoria A. Bryant
| 520-954-3192 | vbryant27@gmail.com
Education
2020
PhD in Human Development and Family Sciences (Expected May 2020)
University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
2015
Master’s of Science in Psychology
Arizona State University, Phoenix, Az.
Advisor: Nicole Roberts, PhD
Thesis: Implications of emotion regulation difficulties among individuals with seizure
disorders
Current GPA: 3.95
2013
Bachelor of Arts
University of Arizona, Tucson, Az.
Major: Psychology
Minor: Thematic minor exploring family relationships
GPA: 3.86, Summa Cum Laude
Research Interests
My research has explored what are the active ingredients that make up a successful and enduring
marital and family relationship. Specifically I have examined the effects of varying stressors,
communication styles, health behaviors, and emotional processes on relationships.
Scholarly Presentations
2015
Bryant, V. A., Hermosillo, L., Roberts, N., & Burleson, M. (2015 February). Are relationships
good for regulation? Emotion regulation and relationship status among patients with
seizure disorders. Meeting of the Social Psychologists of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ.
2014
Paper Presented: Bryant, V. A., Hermosillo, L., Rosenbush, K., Roberts, N., & Burleson, M. (2014
November) Implications of emotion regulation difficulties among individuals with seizure
disorders. Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Long Beach, CA.
2014
Parkhurst D., Duncan, C., Rosenbusch, K., Torres, D., Hermosillo, L., Barker M., Bryant, V.,
Phrasavath, L., Burleson M. H., & Roberts, N. A. (September 2014). Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia
Predicts Emotional Experience While Reliving Anger, Happiness, and Shame. Society for
Psychophysiological Research, Atlanta, Ga.
2014
2014
2012
Schellenger, K., Bryant, V. A., Newman, M. (May 2014) Lonely Emotions: The reciprocal
relationship between loneliness and daily emotional experiences. Association for Psychological
Association, San Francisco, Ca.
Bryant, V. A., Schellenger, K., Newman, M. (April 2014) “Fat and Happy” The Dark Side of
Relationship Satisfaction. Western Psychological Association, Portland, Or.
Bryant, V. A., Robbins, M. L., Matthias, M. (March 2012) Problem-Focused We-Talk in Breast
Cancer Patients and their Partners. Honors College Research Expo, University of Arizona, Tucson.
Research Experience
2014-2015
Graduate Research Assistant, Emotion, Culture, and Psychophysiology
Laboratory, Supervisor: Nicole Roberts, PhD


2014-2015
Graduate Research Assistant, Biosocial Psychology Laboratory, Supervisor: Mary
Burleson, PhD


2013-2014
While working in this lab I have been working on my thesis that involves
the effects that seizure disorders have on individuals and their
relationships.
What was seen was that there is a difference between the extent to
which individuals who feel epilepsy is a part of their diagnosis and those
who do not feel this way and the perceptions of their doctors’
explanations of their seizure disorder.
Heart rate variability (HRV) data scoring for a study that explored how
social contact enhances health and well-being by using married couples’
skin conductance, blood pressure, and heart rate before and after a
laboratory stressor.
I have also helped organized a study that will be looking at how
individuals suffering from psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES)
compared to controls and individuals with PTSD react to a relived
emotions task. It is hypothesized that individuals with PNES will show
heightened emotional responses during the task, and display a slower
recovery time.
Graduate Research Assistant, Stress and Social Relationships Laboratory,
Supervisor: Matthew Newman, PhD

One project that I was a part of examined the effects of bullying and how
this changes emotions throughout the day. The interest was to see how
previous experiences of being bullied can affect stress, coping,
experiencing loneliness, and emotional processes. Results showed that
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
2012-2013
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Social Interactions, Health, and Personality
Laboratory, Supervisor: Megan Robbins, PhD



2012-2013
I was awarded an undergraduate research grant through the honor’s
college at the University of Arizona where I worked on my project of
interest with Drs. Mehl and Robbins. I was interested in using a
naturalistic observation method to test the effect of ‘we-talk’ (use of first
person pronouns) between couples coping with the diagnosis of breast
cancer.
It was hypothesized that the use of ‘we-talk’ between the couple would
be beneficial for the patients only
Results generally indicated that couples’ use of ‘we-talk’ is related to
better outcomes for patients, but not spouses. Specifically, patients’ and
partners’ use of ‘we-talk’ among cancer-related coping conversations is
related to decreases in depression and increases in dyadic adjustment for
patients-only.
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Family Interactions Laboratory, Supervisor:
Michael Rohrbaugh and Varda Shoham, PhD


2011-2013
loneliness was a strong predictor of increased variability in daily
emotional reports.
A second project that I worked on was a study that examined the effects
of health behaviors on relationship satisfaction. We designed a survey
that consisted of different scales that examined participants’ weight
concerns, relationship assessments, self-liking, partner reflected
appraisals, and eating and exercising habits. Results showed that among
those in committed relationships, perceived partner appraisals were
positively correlated with life satisfaction and self-esteem, but also
negatively correlated with weight concerns, regular exercise, and healthy
eating.
I worked on a project where we rated couples’ use of ironic processes
and attempts to suppress or avoid certain topics, by watching videos of
couples coping with heart failure and chronic smoking. During the videos
the couples were asked to discuss a recent argument, conflict, or
relationship problem.
This also allowed for us to examine demand-withdraw patterns, one
couple constantly discussing a topic of conflict and the other member
avoiding discussion or defending their point of view.
Undergraduate Research Assistant, Social Interactions, Health, and Personality
Laboratory, Supervisor: Matthias Mehl, PhD

The majority of projects center on the use of one device, The Electronically
Activated Recorder (EAR). The EAR records snippets of the wear’s day-to-day
lives so we can really explore what people are actually talking about.

Participants range from subjects with breast cancer and their partner, to adults
in a meditation study, to adults with rheumatoid arthritis.
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
I began work on a project that explored the interactions of divorce, sleep, and
emotional experience for individuals who were recently going through a
divorce. From the data that I was able to listen to showed something that I
found to be surprising, and that was recently divorced individuals actually rarely
talked about their divorce.

During my time in this lab I was responsible for coding data, organizing sound
files, overseeing certain projects, and running statistical analyses.
Teaching Experience
Course Assistant Arizona State University, 2013-Current
o
PSY 101: Introduction to Psychology
Graduate Teaching Assistant, fall 2014, for Dr. Deborah Hall
o
PSY 215: Research Methods
Online, fall 2014, for Dr. Gayle Schwark
o
PSY 350: Social Psychology
Online, fall 2014 for Dr. Shannon Tromp
o
PSY 305: Effective Thinking
Online, summer 2014, for Dr. Kimberly Mascaro
o
PSY 215: Research Methods
Online, summer 2014 for Dr. Tyler Barratt
o
PSY 215: Research Methods
Online, spring 2014, for Dr. Tyler Barratt
o
PSY 330: Sensation and Perception
Online, spring 2014, for Dr. Shannon Tromp
o
PSY 385: Psychology of Gender
Online, fall 2013, for Dr. Shannon Tromp
o
PSY 330: Sensation and Perception
Online, fall 2013, for Dr. Shannon Tromp
Substitute Teacher, Deer Valley School District, Phoenix, Az., 2014
o I am a substitute teacher for Kindergarten through the 8th grade.
Clinical Volunteer Experience
Feed My Starving Child, Phoenix, Az., 2014-2015
Volunteer
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
Helped package food for starving children to be shipped throughout the
world
Letters to a Pre-Scientist, 2014-2015
Letter writer to a pre-scientist
 I have shared my experiences with an underprivileged student, relating to
him what it is like to be in the field of psychology and opening his eyes to
new experiences and encouraging him to pursue his dreams.
Big Brother Big Sister, Tucson, Az., 2010-2011
Volunteer
 I was a model “big sister” to a young (8 year old) girl named Isolde
Other Volunteer Experience
Advanced Business Professionals, Phoenix, Az., 2013-Current
Volunteer
 Help run multiple events, state wide for a nonprofit organization
Honors and Awards
RESEARCH GRANTS:
2013-2014
Arizona State University, Graduate Research Grant, $10,000
2011
University of Arizona, Undergraduate Research Grant, Honor’s College, $1,300
TRAVEL FUNDS:
2014
Arizona State University, $350
Arizona State University, $350
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