Meliksah Demir is a Developmental Psychologist who teaches developmental psychology across the lifespan and who investigates the relationships among social goals (approach and avoidance), friendship quality, and happiness. Recent theoretical work suggests that social goals have implications for friendship experiences, happiness, and well-being. In original research, REU mentees in Dr. Demir’s lab will test components of this theoretically- and research-based mediational model. For example, the research project could examine whether social approach goals would be positively related and avoidance goals negatively related to friendship quality, which, in turn would positively predict happiness. Outcomes of this research have the potential to offer a new way to think about how social goals, friendship and happiness might be related.