Department of psychology

Graduate Program
Social Psychology

About the Social Psychology Program

The social psychology program at Kent State University is an active and vibrant group of faculty and students who use social psychological theory and state-of-the-art research methods to understand real-world issues, especially those with implications for physical health.  Each faculty member has a distinctive research program, but they share a common interest in understanding how people’s personality and social environments shape their adjustment to stress and influence their mental and physical health.  The research labs in the social program have particular strengths in topics such as social support and stress, coping with chronic illness, socioeconomic status, gender attitudes, emotions, well-being, health communication and health behavior.

Research Training in Social Psychology

The social psychology program is designed to train students in conducting and communicating high-quality psychological research.  As a graduate student in the social psychology program, you will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with one or more faculty members in ongoing research projects, from conception to publication.  In the first year, students begin a research project under the supervision of one of the faculty.  Often, this first year research project broadens into the topic of a masters’ thesis.  As students progress through the graduate program, they are encouraged to pursue additional collaborative and independent research projects, culminating in a dissertation project that reflects the students’ unique interests and expertise. 

In their first two years, graduate students take a number of graduate courses and seminars that cover current research in social and health psychology, research methods, and advanced statistical methods.  Graduate students learn how to use observational, survey, and experimental methods to conduct research in both the field and laboratory.  Many students in the social program also elect to gain additional training by pursuing minors in health and/or quantitative psychology.

Faculty and students in the social program also meet once a month for the “social brownbag”.  In the brownbag, students and faculty present research ideas, learn about current research trends, review journal articles, and discuss issues relevant to professional and career development.

Graduate Courses in Social Psychology

• Social Psychology
• Personality
• Psychosocial Aspects of Health Psychology
• Social Psychological Perspectives on Well-Being
• Gender and Social Class
• Psychobiological Aspects of Health Psychology

Social Postdocs and Graduate Students

• Masumi Iida, Ph.D. (Postdoc, Stephens lab)
  
  
• Susanne Biehle (3rd year, Mickelson lab)
• Amber Emanuel (3rd year, Updegraff lab)
• Kristel Gallagher (3rd year, Updegraff lab)
• Rachel Hemphill (2nd year, Stephens lab)
• Cynthia Khan (5th year, Stephens lab)
• Jennifer Park (1st year, Updegraff lab)
• Sean Rife (1st year, Mickelson lab)

Recent Social Ph.D.'s

Our social program has been particularly successful in placing our graduates in postdoctoral training programs and professorships. 
Here’s what some of our recent grads are doing now.

• Nate Deichert, Ph.D., Faculty, Mount Olive College
• Erin Fekete, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Miami
• Jason Seacat, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at Western New England College
• Stacey Williams, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, East Tennessee State University
• Sharon Claffey, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Georgia
• Tina Norton, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Clarkson College
• Melanie Tabak, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, William Penn University

Faculty with Related Interests

• Dr. Joel Hughes (Clinical Health) studies how psychosocial factors such as hostility and depression increase cardiovascular risk
• Dr. Dan Neal (Clinical Health) studies risk and protective factors associated with alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences in older adolescents and young adults.
• Dr. Manfred van Dulmen (Developmental) studies the role of interpersonal relationships (family, peer, sibling, romantic) in the development of externalizing behavior problems during adolescence and young adulthood.