Laura Guerrero
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Phone: 480-965-5095
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STAUF A460 TEMPE, AZ 85287-1205
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Mail code: 1205Campus: Tempe
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Laura K. Guerrero is dedicated to the nuanced study of communication within close relationships, with a primary focus on emotional and nonverbal communication. Her work helps explain how individuals can express intimacy and forgiveness to foster and sustain healthy relationships. She also examines communication in emotionally-charged situations, such as jealousy, hurt, or conflict. Within these contexts, she has identified specific communication strategies that enhance relational satisfaction, while cautioning against other forms of communication that are counterproductive. Professor Guerrero has published more than 100 articles and chapters on these topics along with several books, including the best-selling textbook, Close Encounters: Communication in Relationships, and a new introductory book, Interpersonal Encounters: Connecting through Communication. She is the 2023 recipient of the Western States Communication Association's Distinguished Scholar Award and the 2022 recipient of the International Association for Relationship Research's Teaching Award.
- Ph.D. Communication, University of Arizona
- M.A. Communication, San Diego State University
relational communication, nonverbal communication, emotion, conflict
Selected Publications
Books:
Guerrero, L. K., & McEwan, B. (2022). Interpersonal encounters: Connecting through communication. Sage.
Burgoon, J. K., Manusov, V., & Guerrero, L. K. (2022). Nonverbal communication (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Guerrero, L.K., Andersen, P. A., & Afifi, W. A. (2021). Close encounters: Communication in relationships (6th ed.). Sage. (First edition published in 1999).
Guerrero, L. K., & Hecht, M. L. (2008). The nonverbal communication reader: Classic and contemporary readings (3rd ed.). Waveland Press.
Guerrero, L. K., & Floyd, K. (2006). Nonverbal communication in close relationships. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. (Part of the LEA Series on Personal Relationships)
Andersen, P. A., & Guerrero, L. K. (Eds.), (1998). Handbook of communication and emotion: Research, theory, contexts, and applications. Academic Press.
Representative Articles and Chapters:
Hansom, A. M., & Guerrero, L. K. (2025). Attachment Style During a Partner’s Deployment with the United States Navy: Associations with Relational Satisfaction, Stress, and Changes over Time. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Hommadova Lu, A., & Guerrero, L. K. (2023). Effects of nonverbal immediacy and similarity on perceptions of likability and friendship potential: first impressions of US and Middle Eastern students on Zoom. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 47(3), 321-344.
Guerrero, L. K. (2021). Attachment theory: A communication perspective. In Engaging theories in interpersonal communication (pp. 299-313). Routledge.
Guerrero, L. K. (2020). Conflict style associations with cooperativeness, directness, and relational satisfaction: A case for a six-style typology. Negotiation and Conflict Management Research, 13, 24-33.
Guerrero, L. K. (2017). Attachment theory in families: The role of communication. In Engaging theories in family communication (pp. 38-50). Routledge.
Guerrero, L. K. (2014). Jealousy and relational satisfaction: Actor effects, partner effects, and the mediating role of destructive communicative responses to jealousy. Western Journal of Communication, 78, 586-611.
Guerrero, L. K. (2013). Emotion and communication in conflict interaction. The SAGE handbook of conflict communication (2nd ed.),105-133.
Guerrero, L. K., & Andersen, P. A. (2013). The dark side of jealousy and envy: Desire, delusion, desperation, and destructive communication. In The dark side of close relationships (pp. 33-70). Routledge.
La Valley, A. G., & Guerrero, L. K. (2012). Perceptions of conflict behavior and relational satisfaction in adult parent-child relationships: A dyadic analysis from an attachment perspective. Communication Research, 39¸ 48-79.
Guerrero, L. K., Hannawa, A. F., & Babin, B. A. (2011). The Communicative Responses to Jealousy scale: Revision, empirical validation, and associations with relational satisfaction. Communication Methods and Measures, 5, 223-249.
Guerrero, L. K., Farinelli, L., & McEwan, B. (2009). Attachment and relational satisfaction: The mediating effect of emotional communication. Communication Monographs, 76, 487-514.
Guerrero, L. K., La Valley, A. G., & Farinelli, L. (2008). The experience and expression of anger, guilt, and sadness in marriage: An equity theory explanation. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 25, 699-724.
Bachman, G. F., & Guerrero, L. K. (2006). An expectancy violations analysis of relational quality and communicative responses following hurtful events in dating relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 23, 943-963.
Guerrero, L. K., Trost, M. L., & Yoshimura, S. M. (2005). Emotion and communication in the context of romantic jealousy. Personal Relationships, 12, 233-252.
Guerrero, L. K., Spitzberg, B. H., & Yoshimura, S. M. (2004). Sexual and emotional jealousy. In The handbook of sexuality in close relationships (pp. 311-345). Psychology Press.
Jones, S. M., & Guerrero, L. K. (2001). The effects of nonverbal immediacy and verbal person-centeredness in the emotional support process. Human Communication Research, 27, 567-596.
Guerrero, L. K., Jones, S. M., & Burgoon, J. K. (2000). Responses to nonverbal intimacy change in romantic dyads: Effects of behavioral valence and expectancy violation. Communication Monographs, 67, 325-346.
Gross, M. A., & Guerrero, L. K. (2000). Appropriateness and effectiveness of organizational conflict styles: An application of the competence model to Rahim's conflict inventory. International Journal of Conflict, 11, 200-226.
Guerrero, L. K. (1997). Nonverbal involvement across interactions with same-sex friends, opposite-sex friends, and romantic partners: Consistency or change? Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 14, 31-58.
Guerrero, L. K. (1996). Attachment-style differences in intimacy and involvement: A test of the four-category model. Communication Monographs, 63, 269-292.
*A complete list of publications can be found in Guerrero's vita
Courses
2026 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2025 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 382 | Classroom Apprenticeship |
| COM 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| COM 493 | Honors Thesis |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 691 | Seminar |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 410 | Advanced Interpersonal Comm |
| COM 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| COM 493 | Honors Thesis |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 690 | Reading and Conference |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 310 | Comm Interpersnl Relationships |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| COM 692 | Research |
| COM 493 | Honors Thesis |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 691 | Seminar |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 410 | Intrprsnl Com Thry & Resrch |
| COM 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| COM 493 | Honors Thesis |
2022 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 310 | Relational Communication |
| COM 317 | Nonverbal Communication |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| COM 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| COM 493 | Honors Thesis |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
2022 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 692 | Research |
| COM 692 | Research |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 691 | Seminar |
| COM 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| COM 493 | Honors Thesis |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 312 | Comm, Conflict & Negotiation |
| COM 317 | Nonverbal Communication |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| COM 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| COM 493 | Honors Thesis |
| COM 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| COM 792 | Research |
2021 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 310 | Relational Communication |
| COM 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| COM 493 | Honors Thesis |
| COM 792 | Research |
2020 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| COM 310 | Relational Communication |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 792 | Research |
| COM 799 | Dissertation |
| COM 691 | Seminar |