Ashley Thompson

Professional Title

Professor, Associate Director of Graduate Training

Education:

Ph.D., Experimental Psychology, University of New Brunswick, 2015

Research Interests:

Sexual and Relationship Stigma
The Impact of Gender on Romantic and Sexual Experiences
Monogamy Expectations and Violations
Motives for Sexual and Romantic Behaviors

Potential Faculty Research (Plan B) Advisor

Valentine's Day Expert AlertFeatured research

Bio

Dr. Ashley E. Thompson is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where she directs the Sexuality and Relationship Science Lab. Her research aims to illuminate how stigma and social perception influence sexual health and relationships, translating these insights into strategies that promote equity, inclusion, and well-being.

Specifically, Thompson examines how social rules, stigma, and interpersonal cognition shape sexual and relational lives, focusing on two interrelated domains: reducing inequities and stigma surrounding gender, sexual, and relationship diversity, and understanding the cognitions, emotions, and outcomes that drive infidelity and other boundary-crossing behaviors. Across these lines of inquiry, she employs experimental, psychometric, and community-based approaches to generate research that meaningfully connects science to lived experience.

Thompson has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications, multiple book chapters, and more than 90 conference presentations, and her work has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, BBC, Men’s Health, Forbes, and Psychology Today. Her research is characterized by extensive collaboration across academic, clinical, and industry settings, including ongoing partnerships with the Minnesota Sex Offender Program (MSOP), Ashley Madison, 3Fun, and the CDC.

In sum, Thompson’s work advances understanding of sexuality, stigma, and relationships through innovative, collaborative research that bridges science, practice, and public discourse.

Curriculum Vitae

College of Education and Human Service Professions

Contact

Connect With Us