I am mainly interested in applied close relationships research, particularly how self-expansion (both at the social and individual level) and other social processes affect overall health and health behaviors including smoking, physical activity, eating, and weight loss/control.

I am interested in these processes cross-culturally, at the neurological level (utilizing fMRI methodology), and in terms of individual differences including factors such as self-control.

My other interest is in basic close relationships research, particularly in terms of romantic love.

Primary Interests:

Applied Social Psychology
Close Relationships
Culture and Ethnicity
Emotion, Mood, Affect
Health Psychology
Life Satisfaction, Well-Being
Neuroscience, Psychophysiology
Personality, Individual Differences
Self and Identity

Applied Social Psychology
Close Relationships
Culture and Ethnicity
Emotion, Mood, Affect
Health Psychology

Life Satisfaction, Well-Being
Neuroscience, Psychophysiology
Personality, Individual Differences
Self and Identity

Research Group or Laboratory:

Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center
Interactive Map

Journal Articles:

Darlow, S. D., & Xu, X. (2011). The influence of close others’ exercise habits and perceived social support on exercise. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 12, 575-578.
Jagiellowicz, J., Xu, X., Aron, A., Aron, E., Cao, G., Feng, T., & Weng, X. (2010). The trait of sensory processing sensitivity and neural responses to changes in visual scenes. SCAN: Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. Advanced online publication.
Riela, S., Rodriguez, G., Aron, A., Xu, X., & Acevedo, B. P. (2010). Experiences of falling in love: Investigating culture, ethnicity, gender, and speed. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 27(4), 473-493.
Xu, X., Aron, A., Brown, L., Cao, G., Feng, T., & Weng, X. (2011). Reward and motivation systems: A brain mapping study of early-stage intense romantic love in Chinese participants. Human Brain Mapping, 32(2), 249-257.
Xu, X., Brown, L., Aron, A., Acevedo, B., Cao, G., Feng, T., & Weng, X. (in press). Brain activations during early-stage intense romantic love predicted relationship outcomes 40 months later. Neuroscience Letters.
Xu, X., Floyd, A. H. L., Westmaas, J. L., & Aron, A. (2010). Self-expansion and smoking abstinence. Addictive Behaviors, 35, 295-301.
Xu, X., Wang, J., Lei, W., Aron, A., Westmaas, L., & Weng, X. (2012). Intense passionate love attenuates cigarette cue-reactivity in nicotine-deprived smokers: An fMRI study. PLoS ONE 7(7): e42235. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0042235

Courses Taught:

Close Relationships
Research and Writing in Psychology
Social Psychology

Close Relationships
Research and Writing in Psychology

Social Psychology

Xiaomeng (Mona) Xu
Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center
196 Richmond Street
Providence, RI 02903
United States