Elizabeth Dorrance Hall Ph.D.

Elizabeth Dorrance Hall is an Associate Professor in the Communication Department at Michigan State University and Director of the Family Communication and Relationships Lab. She received her Ph.D. in Family and Interpersonal Communication from Purdue University. Elizabeth's research focuses on communication processes in close relationships, especially in the context of family. 

Elizabeth has applied and extended interpersonal and family communication theories (e.g., family communication patterns theory (FCP), confirmation theory) to explore difficult conversations, how close relationships evolve over time, and under what conditions family communication and support are associated with well-being.

Other projects focus on experiences of family member marginalization over the life course, family-of-origin dynamics for first-generation college graduates, and women's experiences in "traditionally male" career fields. 

Elizabeth completed a Fulbright Scholar award to study communication in multigenerational families in Slovenia in 2021. Her work is currently funded by a NSF CAREER Award grant to assess effective parent-daughter communication about STEM interests and careers in families from diverse backgrounds (2023-2027). Elizabeth is a MSU Teacher-Scholar awardee.

Elizabeth's recent publications can be viewed on Google Scholar or ResearchGate. 

Teaching:

• COM 225: Introduction to Interpersonal Communication 
• COM 304: Family Communication
• COM 425: Advanced Interpersonal Communication
• COM 820: Communication Theory and Process
• COM 822: Interpersonal Communication Theory

http://www.dorrancehall.com/