As a learner-centered and discovery-driven institution, Western Michigan University values the research of its faculty. The following lists the research interests of faculty members in the Department of Psychology.
- Applied research in Behavioral Gerontology, including the assessment/treatment of behavioral excesses and developing programs that remediate behavioral deficits in older adults with Neurocognitive disorders/dementia, treatment adoption and verbal behavior.
- Applied research in staff training in aging/intellectual disabilities human services
- Translational research in Behavioral Gerontology
- Behavioral pharmacology of addictive drugs
- Preclinical screening of addictive drugs for abuse liability including drug discrimination, conditioned place preference, and behavioral sensitization procedures
- Preclinical screening of novel psychiatric medications for pharmacotherapeutic potential.
- Stimulus preference assessments
- Reinforcer assessments
- Gender issues
- Unintentional childhood injury
- Child maltreatment
- Contingency management and health incentives
- Behavioral economics
- Behavioral pharmacology
- The management of health risk behaviors, including eating, exercise, and various behaviors
- Developmental disabilities and functional assessment and analysis
- Training and dissemination of evidence-based behavioral practices
- Psychotherapy process and outcome
- Contemporary behavior therapy
- Comprehensive behavioral systems analysis
- Behavior based safety
- Instructional technology and learning
- Emotional, psychological, and interpersonal factors associated with stress, trauma, and adversity
- Clinical outcome research and contextual behavioral interventions (behavioral activation, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness-based treatments)
- Analogue methods of studying emotional responding and emotion regulation
- Effects of treatment integrity errors on intervention outcomes
- Assessment and treatment of severe challenging behavior
- Staff training
- Dimensions of reinforcement
- Choice between communication and problem behavior for children in the applied setting,
- Behavioral technology
- Literacy and special education
- Behavioral pharmacology, models of choice
- Pro-social and aggressive behavior
- Experimental analysis of human and nonhuman behavior
- Bridging the research-to-practice gap
- The application of behavior analysis to public school systems and classrooms
- School-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS)
- Applied behavior analysis (recent staff training, exercise, training for employment)
- Experimental analysis of behavior (including scent detection and behavioral pharmacology)
- Gender issues
- Rule-governed behavior
- Motivating operations, reinforcement, and aversive contingencies in organizational settings
- Health and well-being in the workplace
- Traffic safety
- Simulation research
- Community and organizational psychology
Concurrent operants as treatment for problem behavior
- Social skills training, self-monitoring/self-management
- Practitioner and teacher training