Psychology Sources at Boston College
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Donnah Canavan
Associate Professor, Psychology Department
College of Arts & Sciences
Ph.D. Columbia University
Fear of success; sabotaging success; self-defeating behaviors; famous politicians/historical figures who had a fear of success; psychological separateness; narcissism; the psychology of self-esteem; personality profiles of children of alcoholics; self-doubt in children of alcoholics. Co-author of the book The Success-Fearing Personality: Theory and Research. Courses have included: "Dynamics of Success."
617.552.4116
donnah.canavan@bc.edu
http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/psych/faculty_staff/canavan.html
Elizabeth Kensinger
Associate Professor, Psychology Department
College of Arts & Sciences
Ph.D. MIT
neuroscience; memory; emotion's influences on the vividness and accuracy of memory; connection between sleep and memory. Courses taught have included "The Psychology and Neuroscience of Human Memory," "Affective Neuroscience," and "Event-Related Potentials: A Research Methods Course."
617.552.1350
elizabeth.kensinger@bc.edu
Faculty webpage
Gilda Morelli
Associate Professor, Psychology Department
College of Arts & Sciences
Ph.D. University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Child development; the role of parents, family, community and social, cultural and economic circumstances in shaping children's development and learning. Child care in poor and working poor US families, with a special interest in public policy, welfare reform, and children's health and development. Much of her research involves the study of children and families in two communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where she has lived and worked for over 20 years. Co-director of the Ituri Fund, dedicated to promoting the health and education of the people of Ituri Forest. Courses have included: "Children, Families and Government"; "Child Development from Cultural Perspective."
617.552.4094
gilda.morelli@bc.edu
http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/psych/faculty_staff/morelli.html
Joseph Tecce
Associate Professor, Psychology Department
College of Arts & Sciences
Ph.D. Catholic University of America
General psychological issues; motivations and phobias; stress; eye movements, including blinks as an indicator of stress–e.g., during public addresses, interviews or debates; Alzheimer's disease and aging; compulsive and obsessive behavior; seasonal affective disorder. Developed the "hedonia hypothesis," which identifies an increased eye blink rate as an indicator of increased stress. Collaborated with two other Boston College faculty members on the development of "EagleEyes," a device which controls computers via eye movements that is currently being used to assist the disabled (see entry: James Gips). Courses have included: "Psychobiology of Mental Disorders"; "Stress and Behavior."
617.552.4121
joseph.tecce@bc.edu
http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/psych/faculty_staff/tecce.html
Alexa Veenema
Assistant Professor, Psychology Department
College of Arts & Sciences
Stress and social behaviors, including child and adult aggression and social anxiety. Her research focuses on normal and abnormal human social functioning – especially for juveniles – such as borderline personality, antisocial personality and schizophrenia. She is recipient of the 2010 National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD) Young Investigator Award as one of the nation’s most promising young scientists conducting neurobiological research.
617-552-1661
alexa.veenema@bc.edu
Ellen Winner
Professor, Psychology Department
College of Arts & Sciences
Ph.D. Harvard University
Gifted children; children and language, art and humor; arts education; metaphor and irony; development of talents. Author of co-author of the books Studio Thinking: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education; Invented Worlds: The Psychology of the Arts; The Point of Words: Children's Understanding of Metaphor and Irony; and Gifted Children: Myths and Realities. Courses have included: "Psychology of Art and Creativity" and "Development of Giftedness and Creativity."
617.552.4118
ellen.winner@bc.edu
Faculty webpage