{"id":792,"date":"2010-01-29T16:59:48","date_gmt":"2010-01-29T20:59:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/?page_id=792"},"modified":"2025-12-04T16:01:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T21:01:00","slug":"chris-davis","status":"publish","type":"cu_people","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/psychology\/people\/chris-davis\/","title":{"rendered":"Chris Davis"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Research Interests<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main focus of my research at present concerns the effects that secrecy has on personal and relationship well-being. People often keep secrets about embarrassing experiences, stigmatized aspects of their identity, or moral lapses – things about themselves which they believe significant others will disapprove. But in addition to taxing one’s mental resources, keeping secrets can lead one to feel inauthentic and insecure in one’s relationships. My students and I examine different personality and contextual factors that affect the toll of secret-keeping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A second line of research concerns the challenges brought on by loss, injury, and illness and the ways that people find meaning and purpose following these events and experiences. My students and I also conduct research on the challenges and burdens of informal care giving for adults who need assistance due to injury or illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A third line of research considers the effects of heavy social media use among young adults. In particular, we have been assessing the effects of voluntarily cutting back on social media screen-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sample Publications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davis, C. G. (2023). Self-concealment, secrecy, and guilt. Journal of Personality<\/em>. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/jopy.12832<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

McLeod, J. & Davis, C. G. (2023). Community peer support among individuals living with spinal cord injury. Journal of Health Psychology<\/em>. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/13591053231159483<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davis, C. G. & Tabri, N. (2023). The secrets that you keep: Secrets and relationship quality. Personal Relationships, 30<\/em>(2), 620-635. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/pere.12472<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thai, H., Davis, C. G., Mahboob, W., Perry, S., Adams, A., & Goldfield, G. S. (2023). Reducing social media use on smartphones improves appearance and weight esteem in youth with emotional distress. Psychology of Popular Media. <\/em>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/ppm0000460<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dennis, M. T., & Davis, C. G., (2025). Out of sight but on my mind: Distal stressors, identity concealment, proximal stress, and mental health among sexual or gender minorities. Sexuality Research and Social Policy. <\/em>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s13178-025-01131-6<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davis, C. G., & Goldfield, G. S. (2024). Limiting social media use decreases depression, anxiety, and fear of missing out in youth with emotional distress: A randomized controlled trial. Psychology of Popular Media, 14, <\/em>1-11. DOI: 10.1037\/ppm0000536 <\/a><\/u><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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