Social Psychology

Research Areas:

• Psychological Science - Social
• Psychological Science - Developmental

Research Interests:

• Adolescent and Young Adult Romantic Relationships
• Developmental Psychopathology
• Measurement and Methodology.

Lab site:

Interpersonal Relationship & Developmental Psychopathology Lab  

Research Area:

Psychological Science - Social

Dr. Stephens is currently serving as Dean of Graduate Studies, and will not be accepting new students this year.

Research Interests:

Stress and coping theories guide my research on social relationships and chronic illness. Interests focus on effects of family interactions on adjustment to illness, as well as effects of illness on family caregivers. Of special interest are social support and social control (social influence) as ways married couples cope with illness.

Postdoctoral Training:

Center for Healthy Aging, Penn State University

Research/Graduate Area:

Psychological Science - Social

Specialty:

Personality and Individual Differences, Social Psychology

Teaching and Research Interests:

• Identity Theory
• Sociology of the Self
• Family
• Emotions
• Quantitative Methods
• Survey Research Methodology

Current Research:

My current research revolves around three sets of data that have recently been collected:

Teaching and Research Interests:

• Social Psychology: Identity, Self-Concept, Self-Esteem
• Life Course Contexts, Development, and Transitions as Related to Health and Well-Being
• Sociology of Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults
• Military Sociology

Teaching and Research Interests:

• Social Psychology
• Neurosociology
• Status and Identity
• Social Exchange 

Current/Ongoing Research:

Teaching and Research Interests:

• Mental Health or Illness
• Community/Neighborhoods
• Positive Youth Development
• Disasters

Key Presentations:

Adams, Richard E. and Joseph A. Boscarino. 2013. Volunteerism and Well-Being in the Context of the World Trade Center Terrorist Attacks. Annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, New York, NY. August 9-12.

I am the director of graduate student services in the College of Nursing and a doctoral student in the Department of Sociology. I began working at the College of Nursing as an academic advisor in 2005. Previously I worked at the East Liverpool Campus as an enrollment management generalist. I have also worked in Greek life, admissions, and residence life.

Courses

• US 10097 - First Year Experience
• SOC 32762 - Deviant Behavior

Key Publications

Brenner, Philip S., Richard T. Serpe, and Sheldon Stryker. 2014. Forthcoming."The Causal Ordering of Prominence and Salience in Identity Theory: An Empirical Examination." Social Psychology Quarterly. Vol 77.

Merolla, David M. and Richard T. Serpe. 2013. "STEM Enrichment Programs and Graduate School Matriculation: The Role of Science Identity" Social Psychology of Education. Online First: DOI 10.1007/s11218-013-9233-7.