| Research
Programs
* One asterisk indicates faculty research mentors for entering MA students only.
** Two indicates faculty research mentors for entering MS students only.
*** Three indicates faculty research mentors for both MA and MS students.
Active Living and Healthy Eating Laboratory: James F. Sallis, Ph.D. *
Several interdisciplinary research teams are conducting funded studies in three general areas: 1)Promoting health for young people through school and community-based programs; 2) Enhancing health promotion in primary care using computers, personal counseling, print materials and long-term telephone support; and 3) Examining how environmental factors (such as community design) influence physical activity.
Aging and Dementia: Paul Gilbert, PH.D. *
My primary research interests focus on how memory processes supported by temporal and frontal lobe neurons are affected by age, disease, and brain damage. I am particularly interested in the use of model systems and human participants to study memory impairments associated with healthy aging, Alzheimer's disease, and other cortical and subcortical dementias. As a result, my research uses a multi-faceted approach to examine brain-behavior relationships related to learning and memory.
Alcohol Research Laboratory: Edward P. Riley, Ph.D. * & Sarah N. Mattson, Ph.D. *
Several studies are ongoing and investigating the influence of prenatal alcohol exposure on changes in brain and behavior. Prenatal alcohol exposure is considered the leading known cause of mental retardation and in its severest form results in the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). This lab is studying the types of neuropsychological, cognitive, and behavioral problems seen in children with FAS and in children with less severe manifestations. There are ample research opportunities for students (undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate) interested in neuropsychology, Behavioral Teratology, Physiological Psychology, and/or Neuroscience and students may participate in many aspects of the research projects.
Alcohol Sensory Processing: Susan M. Brasser, Ph.D.*
My primary interests are in studying the physiological mechanisms of action of ethanol on the nervous system that regulate behavioral ingestion of the drug. Goals are to identify specific substrates with which ethanol interacts that are involved in controlling intake and to determine how variation in those substrates leads to excessive consumption. My research utilizes pharmacological and genetic manipulations (i.e., selectively bred lines and knockout models) combined with quantitative measures of ingestive behavior and in vivo electrophysiology to address these issues. One current area of investigation focuses on the interaction of ethanol with gustatory receptors and central neural circuits involved in processing appetitive taste information and the contribution of ethanol-induced activation of these circuits to alcohol consumption. A second related area of interest centers on the trigeminal processing of alcohol and the role of ethanol stimulation of oral trigeminal pathways in modulating alcohol preference.
Behavioral Teratology: Ed Riley, Ph.D. * & Jennifer D. Thomas, Ph.D. *
There are several ongoing research projects examining the effects of drugs of abuse on brain and behavioral development. Several studies focus on the consequences of developmental alcohol treatment using a rodent model. For example, this lab is examining mechanisms by which alcohol causes CNS damage, factors that influence vulnerability to alcohol's adverse effects and potential treatments for reducing the severity of fetal alcohol effects. In addition, we are examining the consequences of developmental nicotine exposure on both brain and behavioral development. Students are integrated into all levels of research and gain experience with behavioral testing as well as histological evaluation.
Brain Development Imaging Laboratory: Ralph-Axel Müller, Ph.D. *
This lab is dedicated to the study of brain functional plasticity in normal and abnormal human development. Research applies magnetic resonance imaging techniques (especially functional MRI) in healthy children and adults, as well as in patients with brain damage and with developmental disorders. Federally funded projects include: Imaging studies on the development of language networks (syntax, semantics) in healthy children, adolescents and adults, as well as plastic changes after focal brain lesion; imaging studies of the functional organization for auditory and language processing in patients with autism.
Categorical Distortions: Roger Dunn, Ph.D. *
Mental representations of similar categories (e.g., men and women) often overemphasize features that distinguish one category from the other. A series of experiments investigates the mechanisms that engender such mental caricatures. A related line of research examines the contrast between explicit (e.g., self-report) and implicit (e.g., reaction time) measures of categorical representations.
Categorization Laboratory: Leola Alfonso-Reese, Ph.D. *
Categorization is the process of dividing objects or events into separate classes or categories, e.g., diagnosing diseases or stereotyping. In this lab, adult human observers learn to correctly classify visual patterns on a computer screen. The learning patterns of these observers are then studied including limits in performance, biases and generalization behaviors. Computer models are also developed that explain, predict and simulate human categorization responses.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Lab: May Yeh, Ph.D. *
Research in this lab involves mental health services delivery for children, with particular interests in cross-cultural issues, school referrals and services, adapting efficacious treatments for culturally diverse populations, and Asian American populations.
Child Language and Emotion Laboratory: Margaret Friend, Ph.D. *
Studies in this laboratory focus on two major aspects of child development: emotion understanding and language comprehension. Students at the undergraduate and graduate level work cooperatively on a variety of projects to assess infants' and young children's developing understanding of these two forms of communication. Student involvement can include basic laboratory support, participation in writing, research presentation, and student-initiated research depending upon the student's motivation and training.
Cognitive Development Lab: Larry Fenson, Ph.D. *
The studies at this lab center around early "executive skills," i.e., dynamic problem-solving strategies employed by 1 to 4-year old children. The lab has also taken a lead role in the development and assessment of parent-report measures for assessing early language skills. Graduate and undergraduate students play a central role in all lab activities: designing studies, testing children, coding and analyzing data and presenting at conferences
Cognitive Ergonomics Research Facility: Sandra Marshall, Ph.D., Director
Currently, this lab has several research projects that focus on how individuals interact with and learn from computer displays. In some of the research, the subjects are Navy officers responding to simulated events in the Persian Gulf. In other research, the subjects are university students performing a variety of different tasks. Eye tracking equipment is used to analyze patterns of eye gaze by subjects as they interact with computer displays.
COR Scholars Program: Terry A. Cronan, Ph.D. *
The Career Opportunities in Research (COR) Program provides financial support (stipends, travel, books, and tuition) for minority students interested in pursuing careers in the field of mental health research. Mental health is very broadly defined. The program is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health Research.
CRMSE - Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education: Stephen K. Reed, Ph.D.
The Center for Research in Mathematics & Science Education (CRMSE) brings together researchers interested in studying how individuals acquire knowledge in mathematics and science. Facilitating and encouraging collaboration among faculty members from College of Sciences' departments of Mathematical Sciences, Physics, Biology and Psychology, and from the College of Education's School of Teacher Education faculty, the staff of CRMSE are engaged in a variety of activities designed to investigate issues of fundamental importance to teaching and learning. Such activities include research, grant writing, publications, presentations, and leadership roles.
Culture, Work Values, and Organizational Behavior: Keith Hattrup, Ph.D. **
This research examines the influences of culture on core work values, and the role of culture in moderating effects of values on attitudes and behavior. Most of this research is multilevel in nature, meaning that we examine not only the influences of national culture on the values and behavior of individuals, we also examine work value and attitude constructs at the national level of analyses and examine their joint effects on outcomes at the national level. Culture is itself a complex and multilevel construct, and hence, we also examine interactions between cultures at different levels of analysis.
Dating Violence Prevention Laboratory: Emilio Ulloa, Ph.D. *
Research in this lab focuses on the study of physical and sexual violence in the context of a romantic relationship and the use of scientific findings toward the development, implementation, and evaluation of dating violence prevention programs. The lab will also be implementing a campus-wide sexual health survey.
Differences Among Generations: Jean Twenge, Ph.D. *
This research explores how generations differ in personality traits and attitudes through meta-analysis (using statistics to analyze existing data from journal articles). Current projects explore changes in alienation, interpersonal trust, and psychiatric symptoms; virtually any psychological trait can be studied with this method.
Health Outcomes Studies: Terry A. Cronan, Ph.D. *
In these studies we develop, implement, and evaluate interventions designed to increase the health and well being of people with chronic diseases. In addition we develop interventions designed to increase cancer screening and prevent cancer. We also focus on ethnic disparities in health care and in other multicultural issues. We assess both psychological and physical health and conduct cost-benefit analyses of interventions. There are several research opportunities for students (undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate) interested in health psychology.
Intergroup Relations Laboratory: Thierry Devos, Ph.D. *
Research in this lab focuses on thoughts, feelings, and behaviors elicited in intergroup contexts. We explore the antecedents and consequences of specific emotional reactions toward outgroups (e.g., anger, fear, frustration, disgust). In addition, we investigate how social forces (e.g., group memberships, power, status, culture) shape responses occurring outside of conscious awareness or control. Research on these topics is ultimately relevant to analyses of conflicts and inequalities between groups. Students are involved in all steps of research; they gain experience in designing studies, collecting and analyzing data, as well as interpreting results.
Life-Span Human Senses Laboratory: Claire Murphy, Ph.D. *
The Life-Span Human Senses Laboratory pursues biomedical research projects, funded by the NIH, in the following areas: life-span aging of the senses, particularly taste and olfaction; sensation, perception and cognition in Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias using psychological, neuropsychological, event-related potential and neuroimaging techniques. Students are integrated into the research at all levels, including testing human subjects, data reduction and analysis, presentations to the laboratory group and (when appropriate) at regional and national conferences. Opportunities to test patients at the UCSD Medical Center exist in these and other projects.
Longitudinal Studies in child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN): Alan J. Litrownik, Ph.D.
Research in this lab focuses on identifying developmental pathways in children who have been maltreated. As part of a 20-year federally funded multi-site project, current studies are examining factors (e.g., protective, risk) that result in adaptive (e.g., resilient) or maladaptive functioning. The ultimate goal of this research is to identify and develop appropriate interventions for these children.
Measurement and Evaluation Research Group (MERG): Georg E. Matt, Ph.D. **
The Measurement and Evaluation Research Group (MERG) conducts evaluations and meta-analyses of health, education and human services programs. MERG is also engaged in research on cognitive aspects of survey responses, particularly innovative strategies to improve the validity of reported health and social behaviors. Moreover, MERG provides consultation on research design, measurement, and data analysis. Graduate and undergraduate students are involved at all levels of research.
Minority Community Health Intervention Program: John E. Martin, Ph.D.
This program consists of the behavioral health assessment clinic and a behavioral modification diet and exercise intervention program conducted primarily among African-American participants at either the New Creation Church, Jackie Robinson YMCA or the Monarch (Homeless) High School in San Diego.
Minority Research Infrastructure Support Program (M-RISP): Terry Cronan, Ph.D. *
The M-RISP program is a faculty development grant that is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. The goal of the M-RISP program is to increase the capacity to conduct rigorous mental health research. Mental health research is broadly defined. The M-RISP offers a number of activities, including a mental health colloquium series, travel funds for dissemination of research, biostatistical consulting, a minigrant program, and workshops for grant development, grant management, and statistical techniques. Tenure-track faculty members may apply for funding to conduct independent research programs as part of the SDSU M-RISP program.
Organizational Leadership and Citizenship Lab: Mark G. Ehrhart, Ph.D. **
This research examines a number of issues related to leadership and citizenship in organizations, including how individuals prefer different types of leaders and what drives those preferences, how leadership styles differ in terms of substance and outcomes, and how factors such as gender impact perceptions of organizational citizenship behaviors (e.g., helping behaviors).
Personality Assessment and Psychometrics Lab: Roberto Velasquez, Ph.D.
Currently, Dr. Velasquez is directing the Latino Elder Assessment Project (LEAP) at an adult day treatment program in San Ysidro, California. The LEAP focuses on evaluating Latino elders in areas of intellectual, personality, and neuropsychological functioning.
Personality Measurement Lab: Jeff Conte, Ph.D. **
This research group examines the measurement of various personality dimensions and how they are related to work and health outcomes. For example, research in this lab assesses a variety of temporal and personality characteristics including Big 5 dimensions, time urgency, polychronicity (preference for multitasking), and time management behaviors and relates them to work and health outcomes in employees in a variety of different organizations and industries.
Project Aim: Motivational Intervention in Binge Drinking Students: John E. Martin, Ph.D.
This research program investigates the effects of motivational interviewing intervention with SDSU drinkers, both Psychology 101 students and Greek (sorority and fraternity) organization members. Students learn the basics of new feedback and motivational counseling techniques and are involved in data management, possible paper presentations and web-based program development. Recent programs have been developed in South Africa for collaborative research and student exchange.
Project FULFILL: Families using Libraries for Improving Lifelong Learning: Patricia A. Scollay, Ph.D. and Barbara McDonald, Ph.D.
Project FULFILL is a longitudinal study of adult literacy learners and their tutors who are involved in the California State Library family literacy programs. Both qualitative and quantitative data are collected in annual interviews documenting such things as life change, social networks, self-perception, the importance of the tutor/learner relationship and children's literacy.
Project PREVENT: Terry A. Cronan, Ph.D. *
This program of research focuses on increasing cancer screening among low-income minority populations. Currently, we are focusing on colorectal cancer. Students are provided with a broad range of opportunities to obtain experience in working in the community as well as in the laboratory.
Project USE: Terry A. Cronan, Ph.D. *
This is a research program aimed at evaluating the effects of social support and education on the health and well-being of people with chronic diseases.
Psychology Student Outcomes Assessment: Emilio Ulloa, Ph.D. *
This lab focuses on the tracking and outcome assessment of SDSU psychology students. Students in this lab will assist in the collection, design, and analysis of data. Opportunities for independent projects exist.
Psychosocial Factors in Coronary Heart Disease Risks and Outcomes: Linda C. Gallo, Ph.D. *
This research focuses on psychological and social factors in the etiology and course of cardiovascular diseases in three general domains 1) Psychosocial factors and interpersonal experiences in cardiovascular stress responses 2) Psychosocial factors and outcomes in cardiac patient populations and 3) Gender, ethnic, and cultural factors in psychosocial risk processes.
Psychosocial, Medical and Multicultural Aspects of Adjustment to Chronic Illness: Vanessa L. Malcarne, Ph.D. *
Research in this lab focuses on understanding psychosocial adjustment to chronic illness in patients, and their family members. Ongoing studies include: 1) evaluating problem-solving therapy for improving quality of life in men with prostate cancer and their spouses; 2) describing and treating fatigue in African-American cancer survivors; 3) examining the effects of healing environments on pediatric cancer patients; and 4) quality of life in patients with systemic sclerosis and spouses. Other studies focus on children's and adults' beliefs about physical illness and psychological disorders; control beliefs are of special interest. Measurement development and validation is also a focus of this lab.
Smoking Research Clinic: John E. Martin, Ph.D.
This research clinic provides smoking treatment interventions in a variety of populations, particularly those showing high levels of nicotine dependence. Included in this clinic is the SmokeFaders Program. Current plans are to connect with the UCSD smoker hotline, and to develop brief, motivationally-based phone counseling techniques for smokers.
Social Development Lab: Joseph M. Price, Ph.D. *
Students will learn about methods for examining developmental change and recent empirical research in the areas of cognitive, affective, and social development. Students will also be given opportunities to develop competencies in interviewing children and their families, in conducting observations of social interactions, and in data preparation, aggregation and analyses.
Social Influence and Group Dynamics Laboratory: Radmila Prislin, Ph.D. *
Differences among people in beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, etc., could be interpreted along a continuum ranging from negative (e.g., difference as a deviance) to positive (e.g., difference as a diversity). What determines such interpretations and how do the existing interpretations change? What are the implications of various interpretations for the social influence and group relation processes? Assuming that the ultimate goal of influence attempts is to change an individual's or a group's position from disadvantageous (powerless/minority) to advantageous (powerful/majority), what are the effects of such changes for the involved parties, relations between them, and a group as a whole?
Social Rejection Lab: Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D. *
How do people feel and behave after they are socially rejected? As the school shootings of the late 1990s demonstrated, the effects are usually negative. Students in the lab experimentally manipulate social exclusion and then measure participants' emotion, aggression, and prosocial behavior. Current plans are to measure emotion implicitly and to discover what prevents aggression after rejection.
The Development Laboratory for Language and Cognitive Studies: Judy Reilly *
Our lab is concerned with the study of language acquisition and its relation to emotional development in children, and the developing neural bases for these two communicative systems. By looking at both language and emotion in a number of special populations, children with early brain damage, children with Williams Syndrome, children with language impairment, we can learn more about how these systems are organized and how they function. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to participate in all aspects of the research process, from designing experiments and creating stimuli to testing children, to analyzing and writing up data and presenting their findings at national conferences.
The Stress and Coping Laboratory: Scott C. Roesch, Ph.D. ***
This research lab examines how individuals perceptions of stressful events (e.g., appraisals, attributions) influence the coping methods that they employ to diminish the negative emotion associated with the stressful event and/or eliminate the stressor altogether. We are interested in the role that personality dimensions (e.g., neuroticism, openness) and culture/ethnicity play in shaping these perceptions (and particularly for individuals who have physical illnesses). We are also extremely interested in the possible positive growth that one can realize from successfully coping with a stressor.
Threat, Emotions, and STereotyping Lab (the TEST lab): David Marx
Our lab focuses on several aspects of social cognition including stereotypes, social comparison processes, attention, and information processing. More specifically, we examine the experience of stereotype threat, defined as the situational pressure posed by the prospect of being seen or treated through the lens of a negative group stereotype as well as ways to reduce the negative effects of stereotype threat. In other lines or research we investigate how comparisons made in “traditional” and “stereotyped” contexts can lead to different outcomes on perceivers' behavior and self-evaluations and how particular target and perceiver attributes can affect the outcome of those social comparisons. Finally we conduct work on a person's vocal characteristics command attention and influence information processing. Members of the lab are involved in all steps of research from designing experiments to analyzing the results.
Training Effectiveness And Motivation (the TEAM lab): Lisa Kath **
Our lab is studying factors that influence the effectiveness of non-traditional workplace training. For example, what motivates an employee to actively participate in diversity training? We are also interested in another motivational theory, self-efficacy ( i.e., confidence), and how that theory can be applied to a number of workplace issues (e.g., leadership, performance).
Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG): James F. Sallis, Ph.D. *
TAAG is a national multi-center study of physical activity of adolescent girls. The purpose of the study is to test the effectiveness of a coordinated school and community-based, multi-component intervention designed to prevent the decline in physical activity levels of girls in middle school. Intervention components within the selected middle schools include working with physical education and health education departments to offer training and resources; creating school, community, and university partnerships; and testing various promotions materials. Students can gain research experience with data collection, preparation, entry, and verification; fitness and physical activity measures of girls; assisting with the development of intervention materials; Assisting with the development of measurement materials and process; research assistance within the research offices; involvement in the various components of the intervention. Paid research assistant positions will also be available beginning in October 2002 and ending in March 2003, seeking individuals with some exposure to the research environment who are available 16-20 hours per week and able to work a minimum of 4-hour blocks of time between 6 am - 5 pm to conduct research at selected middle schools in San Diego county.
Go To Top
|
