Lois Wladis Hoffman Collegiate Professor Emerita of Psychology
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About
Retirement Memoir
Brenda L. Volling, Ph.D., Lois Wladis Hoffman Collegiate Professor of Psychology and professor of psychology in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, retired from active faculty status on May 24, 2026. Professor Volling received her B.S. (1982) degree from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, and her M.S. (1985) and Ph.D. (1990) degrees from The Pennsylvania State University. Professor Volling joined the University of Michigan faculty as an assistant professor in 1992, and was promoted to associate professor in 1999, and professor in 2006. Professor Volling was appointed the Lois Wladis Hoffman Collegiate Professor of Psychology in 2018.
Professor Volling is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking research on family systems and early socio-emotional development. Her scholarship fundamentally transformed understanding of sibling relationships, father involvement, and family transitions during early childhood. As principal investigator of the landmark Family Transitions Study, she produced the first comprehensive longitudinal examination of how families reorganize following the birth of a second child. This research challenged prevailing assumptions about sibling rivalry and revealed that most children show resilience rather than distress during this transition. Professor Volling pioneered the scientific study of fathers' contributions to child development when this domain was substantially neglected, demonstrating their unique contributions, particularly through physically activating play and promoting children's emotional regulation and social competence.
Professor Volling provided exemplary service to the university. As director of the Center for Human Growth and Development, she strengthened interdisciplinary collaborations and mentored junior faculty across campus. She served as chair of Developmental Psychology, associate chair of Undergraduate Studies in Psychology, and on numerous university committees. Her academic and professional honors include the MICHR Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Award; the LSA Excellence in Education Award; the University of Michigan Faculty Recognition Award for Outstanding Research, Teaching, and Service; and fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science.
The Regents now salute this distinguished faculty member by naming Brenda L. Volling, Lois Wladis Hoffman Collegiate Professor Emerita of Psychology and professor emerita of psychology.
Requested by: Jon Kinsey Vice President and Secretary of the University May 2026
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As of May 2026, Dr. Volling is the Lois Wladis Hoffman Collegiate Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on early social and emotional development, parent-child interaction, and family relationships. She conducted extensive research on the role of fathers and children's development, and has played a major role in advancing research on father-child relationships. She is also the Principal Investigator of the Family Transitions Study (FTS), a longitudinal investigation examining changes in family functioning and the firstborn’s adjustment after the birth of a second child, which received funding from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the Fetzer Foundation. She was the recipient of an Independent Scientist award (K02) from NICHD and is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science and the American Psychological Association (Div 7, 43, and 51). She was an Associate Editor for the journal, Psychology of Men and Masculinities. She plans on taking some time to refocus her efforts and and figure out her next steps, perhaps writing a book (or two). She is always looking for colleagues interested in collaborating on any number of projects devoted to fathering or to sibling relationships. Feel free to drop a line.
Dr. Volling was able to time several of her final projects to coincide with her retirement. These papers, special issues, and chapters are but one means of passing the torch and supporting the next generation of young scholars wanting to conduct research on fathers and/or siblings.
Volling, B. L. & Palkovitz, R. (2021). Fathering: New perspectives, paradigms, and possibilities. Psychology of Men and Masculinities, Special issue on Fathering, 22(3), 427-432. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000354
Volling, B. L. & Bornstein, M. H. (2025). Not just father involvement! Contemporary perspectives on fathering and father-child relationships. Parenting: Science and Practice: Special issue on Contemporary Perspectives on Fathering and Father-Child Relationships, 25(4), 353-366 https://doi.org/10.1080/15295192.2025.2555648
Deneault, A-A, Feldman, J. S., Aytuglu, A., Bendel-Stenzel, L., Olofson, E, Dunithen, R., Schoppe-Sullivan S., & Volling, B.L. (2025). Best practices for recruiting and retaining fathers in parenting research: Insights from fathering researchers. Parenting: Science and Practice: Special issue on Contemporary Perspectives on Fathering and Father-Child Relationships, 25(4), 604-630. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295192.2025.2509515
Volling, B. L., Beyers-Carlson, E., Tan, L., Rosenberg, L., & Gonzalez, R. (2026). You need to take turns! Sibling sharing and the emergence of conscience in early childhood. Journal of Personal and Social Relations, special issue on sibling relationship processes across the lifespan.43(1), 375-402. https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075251316316
Volling, B. L., & Cabrera, N. (2025). Loving, laughing, and learning: How fathers contribute to young children’s development. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 7, 141-165. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-121020-034300
Volling, B. L., Howe, N., & Kramer, L. (2025). Sibling relationships across childhood and adolescence: Recommendations for parents and healthcare practitioners. In M. Bornstein & P. Shah (Eds), APA Handbook of Pediatric Psychology, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, and Developmental Science: Developmental science and developmental origins of risk and resilience in childhood and adolescence. Vol 1. (pp. 267-287. Washington, DC, American Psychological Association.
