A Q&A with Communication and Fulbright College Honors Program’s Lindsey S. Aloia

Lindsey S. Aloia, Ph.D.
Director of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences Honors Studies Program
Associate Professor of Communication

In this conversation, Aloia talks about her research and its potential to distinguish between constructive and deconstructive conflict behaviors; becoming director of Fulbright College’s Honor Program; being inspired by her students’ passion for personal growth and academic development; her love of walking her dogs while exploring State and National parks as well as being a barre3 fitness instructor; how fulfilling volunteering to support children in the foster care system and refugee resettling has been; and being open and looking forward to many new adventures.

Q: Tell us a little about your research, academic passions and/or role within the college. What excites you about this?

My research focuses on elucidating the causes and consequences of verbal aggression in interpersonal conflict episodes. Specifically, I study how qualities of interpersonal interactions, as well as individuals, shape the use of and reactions to verbally aggressive experiences.

My work considers consequential communication and illuminates the emotional, cognitive, physiological, and ultimately, behavioral implications of verbal aggression. My interests in the causes and consequences of verbal aggression are united in my theorizing that desensitization processes explain how experiences of family verbal aggression in childhood calibrate individuals’ deployment of aggressive messages and reactions to aggressive interactions in adulthood.

What excites me most about my research is the potential to decipher between constructive and destructive conflict behavior. Such discernment can lead to the mitigation of verbal aggression. Accordingly, the accompanied consequences of both the use of and receipt of verbal aggression would be alleviated.

Q: How long have you been at Fulbright College? What have you enjoyed most about your time here?

I joined the Department of Communication at the University of Arkansas in 2015. In 2021, I was appointed as the Director of the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences Honors Studies Program.

Both of my roles as a faculty member and as a director afford me the opportunity to work with motivated, studious, focused undergraduate and graduate students.

Their passion for personal growth and academic development inspires me. Working with my students makes my time at the University of Arkansas most enjoyable.

Q: What do you most hope your students remember from their classes and/or interactions with you?

I believe that my students are best served when they are challenged. Consequently, my courses are rigorous, and I have high expectations for my students.

Throughout our time working together, however, I help my students to develop the skills necessary to exceed those expectations. I hope that my students remember how confident I am in their abilities and how supportive I am of their successes.  

Q: What do you like to do during your time outside of the university?

Outside of the University, I prioritize both my personal health and my community’s well-being.

For my wellness, I walk my dogs daily through Fayetteville’s historic district, I explore the local State and National parks with friends, and I work as a fitness instructor at barre3.

For my community, I volunteer with CASA to support children in the foster care system and with CANOPY to provide assistance for resettled refugees.

In conjunction with my work at the University, these activities immensely fulfill me.

Q: What’s up next on the horizon for you?

Who knows what is next for me – but, I look forward to the adventure!