• PhD, University of Iowa

I regularly teach Introductory Psychology, Personality Psychology, and Assessing Individual Differences. I also teach Social Psychology and Psychological Research Methods.

My research interests manifest in two principal areas of study: hierarchical models of personality traits and interpersonal relationships, especially romantic relationships. An overarching interest common to both of these lines of research is assessment, particularly through the use of factor analysis in deriving measures to better appraise these domains. My primary area of interest involves the comprehensive catalog and measurement of the facets, or sub-traits, of the broad domains in the five factor model of personality and the validation of scales created to assess these traits.

• Watson, D., Nus, E., & Wu, K.D. (2019). Development and validation of the Faceted Inventory of the Five-Factor Model (FI-FFM). Assessment, 26, 17-44.
• Simms, L. J., Yufik, T., Thomas, J. P., & (Nus) Simms, E. (2008). Exploring evaluative person descriptors through scale development. Journal of Research in Personality, 42, 1271-1284.
• Watson, D., Klohnen, E.C., Casillas, A., (Nus) Simms, E., Haig, J., & Berry, D. S. (2004). Match makers and deal breakers: Analyses of assortative mating in newlywed couples. Journal of Personality, 72, 1029-1068.
• Windschitl, P. D., Kruger, J., & (Nus) Simms, E. (2003). The influence of egocentrism and focalism on people’s optimism in competitions: When what affects us equally affects me more. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 389-408.