ScholarWorks

Psychological science is our focus. Students who complete courses in Psychology are expected to be familiar with current psychological theories, research findings, and should possess the skills that enable them to be life-long learners and productive community members. Faculty members strive to develop in students the kinds of communication, learning, and problem-solving skills that will be useful in a wide variety of pursuits. All members of the department maintain active and diverse programs of research. Indeed, the department has received local, regional, national, and international recognition for its research contributions. Current projects include influence of homelessness and poverty on child development, community empowerment, credibility assessment, effects of childhood trauma on adult functioning, student experiences (retention, evaluations, grade inflation), prevention of adolescent alcohol related problems, prevention of childhood skin cancer, biological rhythms (including shift work, jet lag, and basic processes responsible for circadian rhythms) and central nervous system insult and recovery (traumatic brain injury, stroke, tumors, spine injury, Parkinson’s treatment through deep brain stimulation, sleep disorders). Psychology is also the home of the Family Studies Research Initiative (FSRI). Consistent with our pedagogical focus on psychological science, we have earned wide spread acclaim for involving undergraduate students in all aspects of research productivity including data collection, literature search and evaluation, data analysis, writing and publishing journal articles, and presentations at professional conferences. Thus, our students not only study research in the classroom but have opportunities to learn about research experientially by becoming research assistants.