Category: Faculty News

  • Society of Southeastern Social Psychologist Conference

    This year the conference took place in St. Petersburg, Florida between November 7th and 8th, 2025.

    The Society of Southeastern Social Psychologists (SSSP) was created in 1978 by social psychologists at the University of Georgia. It has since grown into a welcoming community of more than 400 students, faculty, and professional psychologists across the United States. While its membership spans the nation, most participants come from states throughout the Southeast and attendance reaches around 200 each year. Each year, SSSP hosts its Annual Conference, a tradition that brings together personality and social psychologists for a day of research presentations, networking, and lively discussions. Known for its welcoming atmosphere, the conference highlights graduate and undergraduate student contributions and features interactive group lunches that encourage meaningful connections.

    A few of our professors got the opportunity to attend this conference and present their research! They also enjoyed ending the night at the beach.

    Dr. Travis Carter presented Response to unfair offers by political ingroup and outgroup members in the ultimatum game.

    Dr. Christopher Buchholz presented Increasing mindfulness in the college classroom.

    Dr. Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand presented Parents’ goals for popularity are related to different forms of (aggression and) prosocial tendencies in emerging adults.

    The psychology team is hoping to bring future Roanoke College M.S. psychology students to present at this conference!

    Source: https://spsp.org/events/society-of-southeastern-social-psychologists

    Photos: taken by Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand

    Formatting editing: Amelia Easter

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  • A NEW ADDITION TO OUR PSYCHOLOGY FACULTY TEAM!

    Dr. Katherine Kane joined the Roanoke College Psychology department in 2025 and we can’t wait to see how she excels our program!

    Educational Journey/Interest in Psych/Research Interests:

    Dr. Kane completed her undergraduate education at the University of Virginia (UVA), where she had the opportunity to take a course on the Psychology of Aging taught by Dr. Tim Salthouse. Dr. Salthouse is known for his research on cognitive changes associated with aging, particularly in processing speed. This course ignited Dr. Kane’s interest in geropsychology and inspired her to pursue research in the field. During class, Dr. Salthouse invited students to volunteer, which led Dr. Kane to work in his Cognitive Aging Lab for a couple of years.

    She earned a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Boston College, where she completed a practicum in Neuropsychology at the Boston VA Healthcare System (VAHCS). Dr. Kane realized she wanted to specialize in testing, so she shifted her focus to Clinical Psychology and obtained her doctorate from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS), where she combined her interests in geropsychology and neuropsychology.

    Dr. Kane completed her internship in Neuropsychology, followed by a two-year fellowship in the same field. She has independently practiced in various VA settings for over 11 years and is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist. Since 2017, she has also been teaching primarily at the undergraduate level as a side gig.

    Courses She Is Interested In Teaching:

    INQ260 (Psychology in Media), Abnormal Psych, Geropsychology, and Neuropsychology, and she hopes to teach other courses!

    Her Outside Interests Include:

    Dr. Kane’s interests include keeping up with my family, sports photography (primarily of my kids’ sports), running, reading, and volunteering at school events, community organizations, and the firehouse.

    When you see her, don’t be shy, say hi!

    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • HIGHLIGHTING A NEW CONTRIBUTION TO RESEARCH!

    We are pleased to announce that Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand, one of our esteemed professors, has been recently published. Her collaborative work entitled Victimization Forms, Depression and Self-Esteem Among Black/African American, White/Caucasian, and Hispanic Adolescentswas published on Springer Nature. Below is the abstract from the article or click on this link to access it here.

    Abstract:

    Background

    Peer victimization peaks during adolescence and can have serious consequences for victims, but research on differences by race/ethnicity in the associations of victimization forms and emotional adjustment is limited.

    Objective

    To advance this research, this study examined self-reported physical, verbal, relational, and electronic victimization in relation to depression and self-esteem among Black/African American, White/Caucasian, and Hispanic adolescents.

    Methods

    Correlational survey data were collected from a diverse sample of 437 middle school students (282 girls; M age = 12.64 years).

    Results

    In the whole sample and within each race/ethnicity, verbal and relational victimization were the most common victimization forms. When controlling for each, verbal and relational victimization were uniquely associated with depression and low self-esteem for all three races/ethnicities (most consistently for White/Caucasian adolescents). Electronic victimization was uniquely associated with emotional adjustment only for Black/African American and Hispanic adolescents.

    Conclusions

    The findings support and extend existing research on race/ethnicity in peer victimization and emotional adjustment. They suggest that especially verbal and relational victimization are related to adolescent depression and low self-esteem across race/ethnicity groups, and minority youth may be at risk for emotional difficulties associated with electronic victimization.


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    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • Celebrating the Women of the RC Psychology Department!

    On March 8th, 2025, we celebrated International Women’s Day by recognizing the incredible faculty and staff of the Roanoke College Psychology Department. We asked them to share their experiences, achievements, and words of wisdom for other women in the field. Their responses highlight the passion, dedication, and resilience that make them inspiring role models.

    What is your favorite thing about being a professor?

    Mandy Garcia, MS: “I enjoy seeing students’ learning and understanding grow throughout the term. I love when students share questions and ideas that illustrate their learning and thought regarding the topics discussed. It also doesn’t hurt to have great colleagues!”

    Dr. Danielle Findley-Van Nostrand: “The day-to-day is largely very rewarding. We get to be flexible and autonomously drive a lot of where we focus our efforts while working with great colleagues who share the mission of developing students’ knowledge, skills, and future. We wear a lot of hats, but it is truly never boring!”

    Dr. Angela Allen: “Unquestionably, it’s being around young people all the time and looking forward to their successes.”

    Dr. KM: “I love being able to introduce folks to new ideas and see where their minds take them. Watching students develop their own research projects teaches me along the way, too.”

    What is your favorite memory or proudest achievement in your professional and/or academic career?

    Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand: “A fun story—I defended my dissertation when my first-born son was four months old, balancing writing with nursing. Six years later, I had my daughter and received my tenure and promotion letter on the same day, in the recovery room. Balance is possible, whatever that looks like for you and your values.”

    Dr. Allen: “I’ve had several advisees who struggled with progress toward graduation, and I think I helped get them over the finish line. I’m proud of those moments, as well as when I see an ‘aha’ moment on a student’s face in class.”

    Dr. KM: “I’ve had the honor of sharing my research at professional meetings and through a podcast (Heart Rate Variability). Additionally, I’ve loved co-hosting the Nutshell Games, helping students build their communication skills to confidently present their work.”

    What is one thing you would like to let other women in the field of psychology and/or neuroscience know?

    Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand: “Shake off imposter syndrome. You deserve that position, accolade, etc.! You might experience gender inequity, but that is not because of your ability—it’s because of history and society. Advocate for yourself, set boundaries, and pursue fulfillment beyond work.”

    Dr. Allen: “While no profession is free of all bias, I have found that being a woman has not been an issue for the most part.”

    Dr. KM: “Mentorship has been the single most influential aspect of my academic journey. Seek out mentors who can facilitate, nurture, and support your goals. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, put yourself out there, and take advantage of available resources.”

    Dr. Bu: “As a woman of color who teaches statistics, don’t let anyone—including yourself—tell you that you can’t do the math, because you can. Also, don’t let anyone dictate your career path. Follow your passion, and the career will follow.”

    Honoring Our Dedicated Staff

    Beyond our faculty, we also celebrate the invaluable contributions of Mrs. Hairston, our Administrative Assistant for both the Biology and Psychology Departments. She holds a BS in Business Administration and Healthcare Management from Liberty University and plays a vital role in keeping our department running smoothly.

    Final Thoughts

    The women of the RC Psychology Department exemplify excellence, perseverance, and leadership. Their stories remind us of the importance of mentorship, self-advocacy, and balance. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate them, our esteemed faculty and staff, for their dedication to education and research.

    Happy International Women’s Day!


    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • Celebrating a New Research Publication!

    We are thrilled to share some exciting news from the Psychology Department! Congratulations to Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand and Roanoke alum, Benjamin Campbell, on their recent publication of the research article titled, “Goals for, Insecurity in, and Self-Perceptions of Peer Status: Short-Term Longitudinal Associations with Relational Aggression and Prosocial Behaviors in Emerging Adults.”

    Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand, a highly valued member of our department, and Ben, who is currently pursuing his master’s degree at LMU Munich in Germany, have made significant contributions to understanding the complexities of peer status and its impact on behaviors in emerging adults. Their study, conducted through a longitudinal approach in Academic Prolific, explores the intricate relationships between peer status, relational aggression, and prosocial behaviors over time. By examining both the aggressive and positive social behaviors associated with peer status, the study offers a comprehensive look at the factors driving social dynamics during a critical developmental period. To read more about their research and its findings, visit this link, or review their abstract below.

    We are incredibly proud of Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand and Ben for their dedication and hard work that led to this publication. Their findings contribute to the broader understanding of social psychology and offer practical implications for fostering healthier social environments for emerging adults. Join us in congratulating Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand and Benjamin Campbell on this remarkable achievement!

    Abstract:

    “Research on relational aggression in adolescents suggests it is in part driven by the desire to attain and maintain enhanced status among peers, and recent work also suggests certain forms of prosocial behaviors are similarly status-motivated. However, these associations are not well understood in young adults. In this short-term longitudinal study across 8 months (N = 215), we examined whether relational aggression and two forms of prosocial behaviors (altruistic and public) are related to social goals for popularity and preference, social status insecurity, and self-perceptions of status (in terms of dominance and prestige) concurrently and over time in emerging adults (age 18–25). Social goals for popularity predicted increases in relational aggression and public prosociality and were negatively related to and predicted decreases in altruistic prosociality. Preference goals were concurrently negatively related to relational aggression and to public prosociality and were positively related to and predicted increases in altruistic prosociality over time. Social status insecurity moderated links between self-perceptions of status and aggressive/prosocial behaviors, which were largely non-significant without considering status insecurity. Finally, tests of indirect effects suggest that aggression and prosociality mediate associations between popularity goals and self-perceptions of dominance. Findings suggest that strategic use of aggression and prosociality may not be developmentally limited to adolescence.”


    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
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    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • Who Is Professor Mandy Garcia & When Can I Meet Her?


    A Journey into Psychology: “I initially became interested in psychology as a high school student,” shares Professor Garcia. “My younger brother was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in the 90s, when there was so little information and help available, especially in our rural community. That experience, along with other life events and personal interests, led me into the field of psychology.”

    Her passion for teaching grew while she was an undergraduate at Concord University, where she served as a tutor and advising assistant. Later, at Radford University, she realized her true calling: working with students in higher education rather than in a clinical setting. Most of her career has involved a blend of teaching, advising, and supporting students with disabilities.

    What She Loves About Teaching: “One of my favorite parts of teaching is seeing students grow in their understanding of topics and apply what they’ve learned to real-life situations,” says Professor Garcia. She enjoys helping students who may still be finding their way academically, discussing their study strategies, and finding new methods to boost their success. “There are always resources and people on campus to help with academic success—take advantage of those resources!”

    Fun Fact: Outside of her role at Roanoke, Professor Garcia is an enthusiastic reader and a member of a book club that dives into sci-fi, space opera, and epic fantasy novels. “I love the world-building, the social structures, and the maps almost as much as the stories,” she says.

    Join Professor Garcia and other students on Tuesday, November 19, from 12:00pm – 1:00pm in Room 515, Life Science for a special workshop! This event, Successful Studying & Test Taking Techniques, will include Professor Garcia sharing her top tips and strategies for successful studying and test-taking, just in time for finals season. 🧠📚

    Bring your friends, come with questions, and get ready to ace your next exam—see you there!


    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • What Were Your Professors Doing All Summer?!

    As we dive into the new academic year, we thought it would be fun to share some highlights from the summer adventures of our psychology faculty members. From personal milestones to family escapades, our professors had a variety of experiences that added a splash of excitement to their summer breaks. Let’s take a closer look…


    Dr. Nichols’ Family Travels and Favorite Reads

    This summer, Dr. Nichols and his family embarked on two major trips. The first was to Charlotte, NC, for the semifinal of the Copa America. The second was to Sarasota, FL, where they helped move his eldest daughter, Kennerly. The trip also included some relaxing time at the beach, as pictured above!

    Dr. Nichols also found time to revisit one of his favorite book series: Harry Potter. He’s reading through the entire series for the third time, this time with his youngest child, Jacob. Years ago, he read the books with each of his older children, and even with his wife while in graduate school.


    Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand’s Program Development and Hufflepuff Pride

    Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand’s summer was packed with exciting work. She’s leading the development of a psychology master’s program, a project funded by the Dean’s office. Along with others, she’s working on various components of the program and hopes to submit it for curriculum approval this semester.

    She also made headway with her research. She currently has two studies under review and another in preparation. One focuses on young adults’ relational aggression, particularly how their status striving and insecurity impact it. The other two studies examine adolescents, exploring racial differences in various forms of victimization (physical, relational, verbal, electronic) and how these relate to self-esteem and depression.

    For fun, Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand and her family spent time traveling, with the highlight being a couple of weeks in Tampa and Orlando visiting friends and family. They also enjoyed a visit to Universal Studios, where she and her son celebrated their shared Hufflepuff pride!


    Dr. Buchholz’s Camping and Canoeing

    Dr. Buchholz’s summer highlight was an unforgettable six-day, 45-mile camping canoe trip down the James River with his son and his son’s best friend. The adventure was surely magical, and something Dr. Buchholz will cherish forever.


    Dr. Bu’s Japanese Adventure

    Dr. Bu’s summer highlight was a trip to Japan right after the academic year ended in May. Among the many memorable experiences, staying at a traditional ryokan in Hakone (a spa town outside Tokyo) stood out. The meals, including the breakfast shown in the picture, were exceptional and left a lasting impression. Dr. Bu is already looking for excuses to return to Japan!


    Dr. Allen’s Milestone and Memories

    This summer, Dr. Allen had a significant personal milestone: receiving a cochlear implant in July! While the process of adjustment is ongoing, Dr. Allen is already hearing much better and is happy to share insights and answer any questions from any students curious about the experience.

    Dr. Allen’s favorite memory was a nostalgic visit to Chapel Hill, NC. It was a delightful reunion with a friend from graduate school, filled with reminiscing and laughter. As Dr. Allen puts it, “We may look like respectable middle-aged women with husbands and children, but stories were told.”


    Dr. Kennedy-Metz’s Research Achievements and Home Projects

    Over the summer, Dr. Kennedy-Metz had a rewarding season with the acceptance and publication of two significant manuscripts she worked on with her research group in Boston from her time at Harvard Medical School. The first, Deep Learning Analysis of Surgical Video Recordings to Assess Nontechnical Skills, is now available in JAMA Network Open. The second, A Novel Multimodal, Intraoperative Cognitive Workload Assessment of Cardiac Surgery Team Members, is in press with the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

    Additionally, Dr. Kennedy-Metz had the chance to be a guest on the podcast “Heart Rate Variability,” though it’s not yet released.

    In a different realm, her, her husband Josh, and her mom, undertook a major home project, painting six rooms in just three days—what an endeavor!



    Prof. McCutcheon’s Program Development and Puppy Joy

    Prof. McCutcheon had a productive summer preparing for the launch of Roanoke’s new Disability Studies program, which is set to be an exciting addition to the Psychology Department.

    But it wasn’t all work and no play! Prof. McCutcheon also had a fantastic time introducing her new puppy, Connor, to the joys of water. A memorable outing involved hiking to the Cascades, where Connor had a blast splashing in the creek and swimming. Check out these adorable pictures of Connor enjoying his new aquatic adventure!


    Prof. Garcia’s Family Time and New Opportunity

    Prof. Garcia’s summer was a whirlwind of family activities, shuttling her daughter to various camps, including tennis, theatre, dance, and soccer. Amidst the busy schedule, the Garcia family managed to sneak in a relaxing beach trip to Emerald Isle, which was a perfect way to unwind.

    Her summer wrapped up with exciting news: being offered a visiting position at Roanoke College!


    We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the summer adventures of our psychology professors. Their diverse experiences and personal milestones remind us all of the richness of life outside the classroom. Here’s to a new academic year filled with continued learning and growth!

    Feel free to reach out to any of our professors if you have questions about their summer adventures or any of their exciting projects.

    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • Dr. Lauren Kennedy-Metz, Assistant Professor, Has Been Published!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Twitter: @RC_Psychology

    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • DR. POWELL, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT, HAS BEEN PUBLISHED!

    Our very own Dr. Powell has been published! Her collaborative work entitled, “A Longitudinal Examination of Mothers’ Early Postnatal Adaptation: Relative Stability Across the First Eight Weeks” was published just last week after a review period of two years. Dr. Powell has definitely earned our congratulations both for her achievement, and her patience! Please read the abstract below, or view the article here.

    Abstract:

    Objective

    Using person-centered analyses, this study examined the trajectories of women’s early postnatal adaptation and explored whether there were differences in their trajectories based on women’s status as a first-time or more experienced mother.

    Methods

    Data were collected from women (N = 137; Mage = 28.6 years, SD = 4.49; 48.2% first-time mothers) at 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-weeks postpartum. At each wave of data collection, mothers reported on their parenting self-efficacy, parenting satisfaction, anxiety, parenting stress, and depressive feelings.

    Results

    The creation of an amalgamated measure of postnatal adaptation demonstrated acceptable fit. Latent class growth analysis revealed four distinct trajectories of postnatal adaptation; two revealed stability across the early postnatal period and two had relative stability except for a change between weeks four to six. Women’s parity was not associated with differences in their trajectories.

    Conclusions for Practice

    These findings reiterate the importance of collecting data from women in the early postnatal period and identifying if a woman is struggling in those early weeks, as the women in our sample demonstrated relative stability in their postnatal adaptation across the first eight weeks. Furthermore, the findings suggest that work should be taken to dismantle the commonly held belief that parenting is “easier” after having already navigated the early postnatal period with an infant once before.

    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Twitter: @RC_Psychology

    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

    Instagram: rcpsychology

  • Dr. Findley-Van Nostrand, Associate Professor in Psychology Department, Has Been Published!

    Dr. FVN has now been published for her collaborative work entitled “Is Bullying Always about Status? Status Goals, Forms of Bullying, Popularity and Peer Rejection during Adolescence”. Congratulations Dr. FVN, we are so proud to say you are a Roanoke College professor! Please read the abstract of her work below, or visit the article here.

    Abstract: Bullying has been associated with status goals among peers, but this research has not distinguished among forms of bullying, nor included actual status or popularity among peers in an integrated analysis. To this aim, in concurrent correlational data, we examined adolescent status goals as predictors of peer-reported physical, verbal, exclusionary and electronic bullying, and these further as predictors of popularity and peer rejection (N = 256; 67.2% girls; M age = 12.2 years). We also explored potential indirect associations of status goals with popularity and peer rejection via forms of bullying. The findings indicated that verbal bullying was the most common form of bullying. Status goals were positively related to all but physical bullying, yet only verbal bullying partially mediated this association with popularity. Electronic bullying was unrelated to popularity and peer rejection, when controlling for other bullying forms (but was positively related to rejection at the bi-variate level). The findings underscore the importance of assessing bullying as a heterogeneous construct, as related goals and adjustment among peers may depend on its specific form.

    Get Connected!

    Blog: https://psych.pages.roanoke.edu/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rcpsychology
    Twitter: @RC_Psychology

    Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/RC-Psychology-8140491/about
    Website: https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/psychology

    Instagram: rcpsychology