Lisa van Raalte Ph.D.

Lisa van Raalte, Ph.D., is an associate professor of interpersonal communication at Sam Houston State University. Her research examines how communication in close personal relationships impacts psychological, physiological, and relational health. She focuses on the communication of affectionate touch behaviors such as hugging, cuddling, and kissing within romantic relationships. She is the director of the communication studies research lab at Sam Houston State University and received her Ph.D. in human communication from Arizona State University.