Lori J. Nelson
Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Iowa

Academic Positions

Professor of Psychology, Shippensburg University, 1999 to present
Associate Professor of Psychology, Shippensburg University, 1994 to 1999 (Received tenure 1995)
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Shippensburg University, 1990 to 1994

Education

Princeton University, Ph.D., Social Psychology, 1990
Princeton University, M.A., Psychology, 1988
University of Iowa, B.S., Psychology, 1986 (With Distinction and With Honors in Psychology)
Ames Senior High School, Ames, Iowa, Diploma, 1983

Honors and Awards

African American Organization Award for Service, Shippensburg University, 1993
Phi Kappa Phi membership, 1992
Sigma Xi membership, 1990
American Psychological Association Dissertation Research Award, 1990
National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship, 1986-1989
Phi Beta Kappa membership, 1986
Psi Chi membership, 1985
Undergraduate Scholar Research Assistantship, University of Iowa, 1984-1986
National Merit Scholarship, University of Iowa, 1983-1986
Freshman Honors Scholarship, University of Iowa, 1983-1984
Iowa Bar Association Citizenship Award, 1983

Visiting Positions

Visiting Associate Professor (sabbatical leave from Shippensburg University)
Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, 1998-1999 academic year

Visiting Scholar, 45th Annual Summer Institute, Survey Research Center,
Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Summer 1992

Teaching Experience

Shippensburg University, Assistant (1990-94), Associate (1994-99), & Full Professor (1999-present):
Social Psychology (taught 27 sections)
General Psychology (17, including 3 honors sections)
Experimental Psychology (8)
Research Design & Statistics I (1)
Research Design & Statistics II (8)
Psychology of Social Influence (4)
Political Psychology (1)
Psychology and Women (6) included graduate students
Multicultural Understanding (2)
Psychology and Religion (1) graduate course
Internship supervision (9)

University of Iowa, Visiting Associate Professor (1998-1999) and Adjunct Professor (summer 2000):
Psychology of Gender (2)

Princeton University, Assistant in Instruction (1986-1989):
Social Psychology (1)
Social Judgment (1)
Personality (1)

Student Research Supervision

Master’s Thesis supervision:
Schuler, A. (2000). The influence of pure color schemas on human racial categorization.
Coolsen, M. (1996). The effects of mortality salience on attachment style.
Lietdka, K. (1992). Dimensions of racial identity and their relationship to self-esteem and racial awareness.
Alqahtani, F. F. (1992). The effects of leadership style on subordinates’ satisfaction, stress, and
productivity: A cross-cultural study.
Master’s Thesis committees (5 committees in addition to the above, including one at American University)
Graduate Assistants (21 students)

Undergraduate Research in Psychology (107 credits of individual instruction; 30 students)
Undergraduate student work study research assistants (7 students) and volunteers (7 students)
Advanced Research I & II (supervised individual projects of 10 students)

Primary Research Interests

Stereotyping, prejudice, intergroup relations
Values and attitudes
Outcomes assessment, program evaluation

Research Positions

Designer and director of the General Education Assessment Project, a multi-cohort, longitudinal study
Shippensburg University, Fall 1992 to present
Assistant in Research, September 1989 to July 1990, Dr. Joel Cooper, Princeton University
Attitudes; social psychological aspects of computer use
Research Assistant, August 1985 to May 1986, Dr. John T. Cacioppo, University of Iowa
Attitude change
Research Assistant, May 1984 to May 1986, Dr. William E. Cooper, University of Iowa
Language processing; emotional expression in speech of the healthy elderly and in patients with
right hemisphere brain damage

Publications

• Coolsen, M., & Nelson, L. J. (in press). Desiring and avoiding close romantic attachment in response to mortality salience. Omega.
• Nelson, L. J. (2000). Review of “Why so slow? The advancement of women.” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, November 2000, 190-191.
• Kain, K., & Nelson, L. J. (in press). Cigarette smoking and fear of death: Explaining conflicting results in death anxiety research. Omega.
• Nelson, L. J., & Klutas, K. (2000). The distinctiveness effect in social interaction: Creation of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 126-135.
• Nelson, L. J., Moore, D. L., Olivetti, J., & Scott, T. (1997). General and personal mortality salience and nationalistic bias. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23, 884-892.
• Nelson, L. J., Shanahan, S. B., & Olivetti, J. (1997). Power, empowerment, and equality: Evidence for the motives of feminists, nonfeminists and antifeminists. Sex Roles, 37, 227-249.
• Nelson, L. J., & Cooper, J. (1997). Gender differences in children's reactions to success and failure with computers. Computers in Human Behavior, 13, 247-267.
• Nelson, L. J., & Miller, D. T. (1995). The distinctiveness effect in social categorization: You are what makes you unusual. Psychological Science, 6, 246-249.
• Nelson, L. J., Wiese, G., & Cooper, J. (1991). Getting started with computers: Experience, anxiety, and relational style. Computers in Human Behavior, 7, 185-202.
• Cooper, W. E., & Nelson, L. J. (1987). Generating probable consequences. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 65, 639-652.
• Cooper, W. E., Tye-Murray, N., & Nelson, L. J. (1987). Missing words and the comprehension of spoken text. Acta Psychologica, 65, 13-24.
• Cooper, W. E., Tye-Murray, N., & Nelson, L. J. (1987). Detection of missing words in spoken text. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 16, 233-240.

Dissertation

Nelson, L. J. (1991). The relationship between values and attitudes (Doctoral dissertation, Princeton University, 1990). Dissertation Abstracts International, 51, 3614-B.

Colloquia and Invited Addresses

• “I’m Gonna Die and I Love America”: The Effects of Mortality Salience on Bias Against Japanese Auto Manufacturers. Psychology Department Colloquium, Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, PA, February 12, 1998.
• Reactions to Thinking About Death: Cognitive Consistency or Terror Management? Psychology Department Colloquium, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, September 15, 1995.
• Building Bridges Program. Meeting of the Pennsylvania Association of Council of Trustees, Shippensburg, PA, November 14, 1994. (with D. L. Jefferson & K. Darden)
• Building Bridges: A Shippensburg University Program to Promote Classroom Dialogue on Diversity. Cultural Awareness in the Classroom and Curriculum, Harrisburg, PA, September 29, 1994. (with D. L. Jefferson & K. Darden)
• Assessing the Effects of General Education on Values and Cognitive Styles. Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Outcomes Assessment Conference, Boiling Springs, PA, May 23, 1994.
• Building Bridges: An Intergroup Communication Program. Invited Symposium, Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, New Orleans, LA, March 30 - April 4, 1994.
  
• Building Bridges. Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, Joint Meeting of Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs and Student Government Presidents; Harrisburg, PA, February 24, 1994.
• Building Bridges Program. Conference of the Pennsylvania Task Force on Intergroup Relations in Higher Education, Pennsylvania Department of Education, Harrisburg, PA, October 27, 1993.
• The Role of Distinctive Traits in Social Categorization. Psychology Department Colloquium, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, April 28, 1991.

Conference Presentations

• Nelson, L. J., & Wischusen, J. (1999). Mortality salience and intergroup bias: Nationalism versus racism. Poster presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Society, Denver, CO, June 5, 1999.
• Nelson, L. J. (1998). Alternative accounts for 48 mortality salience studies. Symposium paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Francisco, August 14-18, 1998.
• Nelson, L. J., & Pollini, N. M. (1998). Birth order, family size, and attachment style. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, February 1998.
• Nelson, L. J., Labanoski, M. R., & Marhefka, K. L. (1998). Values and retention during the freshman year. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, February 1998.
• Nelson, L. J. (1997). Reactions to thinking about personal mortality: Does everyone experience terror? Paper presented at the Nags Head Conference, June 1997, Highland Beach, FL.
• Nelson, L. J., & Labanoski, M. R. (1997). Values, cognitive styles, and self-esteem: Change in freshmen due to classroom experience. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, April 10-13, 1997, Washington, D. C.
• Nelson, L. J., & Labanoski, M. R. (1997). Values, cognitive styles, and self-esteem: Describing entering freshmen and predicting academic performance. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, April 10-13, 1997, Washington, D. C.
• Kain, K., & Nelson, L. J. (1997). Smoking behavior and fear of death among young adults. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, April 10-13, 1997, Washington, D. C.
• Nelson, L. J. (1996). Reactions to thinking about death: Terror management or cognitive dissonance? Paper presented at the Nags Head Conference, May 1996, Highland Beach, FL.
• Nelson, L. J. (1995). Assessing the effects of General Education on values and cognitive styles. Paper presented at the American Association for Higher Education Assessment Conference, June 1995, Boston, MA.
• Nelson, L. J., Moore, D. L., Olivetti, J., & Scott, T. (1995). Mortality salience and bias against foreign auto manufacturers. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, April 1995, Boston, MA. (Also chaired the paper session, "Errors & Biases")
• Nelson, L. J., Wolf, F., & Grahe, J. (1995). Values of members of religious denominations: Assemblies of God, Catholics, Lutherans, and Quakers. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, April 1995, Boston, MA.
• Olivetti, J., Shanahan, S., & Nelson, L. J. (1995). Perceptions of feminism: Effects of gender and exposure to a women's studies class. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, April 1995, Boston, MA.
• Nelson, L. J., Johnson, C., Boyd, J., & Scott, T. (1994). Effects of participation in an intergroup communication program: An assessment of Shippensburg University's Building Bridges Program. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Providence, RI, April 14-17, 1994.
• Nelson, L. J., Wolf, F., Beattie, M., & Kish, M. (1994). Values promoted by religious denominations: Assemblies of God, Catholics, Lutherans, and Quakers. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, New Orleans, LA, March 30 - April 4, 1994.
• Coolsen, M., & Nelson, L. J. (1994). Feelings about death among young adults. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, New Orleans, LA, March 30 - April 4, 1994.
• Nelson, L. J., Olivetti, J., & Belew, M. (1994). Perceptions of power among men, feminist women, and non-feminist women. Paper presented at the National Women's Studies Association Conference, Ames, IA, June 15-19, 1994.
• Nelson, L. J., & Klutas, K. (1993). Distinctiveness and social interaction. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Ontario.
• Nelson, L. J., Moore, D. L., Boyd, J., & Lilje, J. (1993). The effects of mortality salience on values. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Washington, D. C.
• Liedtka, K. D., & Nelson, L. J. (1993). Dimensions of racial identity and racial attitudes. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Washington, D. C.
• Alqahtani, F. F., Nelson, L. J., & Fish, D. (1993). A cross-cultural study of the effects of leadership style on subordinate satisfaction, stress, and productivity. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Washington, D. C.
• Nelson, L. J., Fritz, T., Funk, N., Mitzel, T., & Moore, D. (1992). Sex differences in perceptions of the implications of power. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, Massachusetts.
• Herman, B. J., Nelson, L. J., & Clark, D. (1992). Belief in a just world: Does it affect how we perceive victims of child abuse? Poster presented at the Conference on Human Development, Atlanta, Georgia.
• Nelson, L. J., & Miller, D.T. (1990). Distinctiveness and categorization: You are what makes you unusual. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Philadelphia, PA.
• Nelson, L. J., & Cooper, J. (1989). Sex role identity, attributional style, and attitudes toward computers. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, MA.
• Cooper, W. E., & Nelson, L. J. (1986). The generation of probable consequences. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, New Orleans, LA.

Reviewing

• Ad hoc reviewer, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 1999 and 2000
• Ad hoc reviewer, Sex Roles, 1998, 1999, and 2000
• Ad hoc reviewer, Journal of Social and Interpersonal Relationships, 1998 and 1999
• Reviewer of papers submitted for presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Fall 1995 and Fall 1997
• Reviewer of papers submitted for presentation at the CEPO session of the Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Spring 1994

Multicultural Activities

• Initiator and coordinator of Building Bridges, a multicultural understanding program
• Shippensburg University, Spring 1992 to Spring 1998 (with D. L. Jefferson)
• Faculty advisor, Building Bridges Program (new format with graduate student coordinator)
• Shippensburg University, 2000 to present (with D. L. Jefferson)

• Consultant for Building Bridges Program implementation (with D. L. Jefferson)
• Conducted initial training of student facilitators and advised coordinators about program design
• August 20-22, 1995, Clarion University, Clarion, PA
• March 31, 1996, Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, PA

• Sponsor, Siumu Preschool and Mulivai Primary School (working with children, fund raising in U.S. through sale of traditional crafts, purchasing and sending books and supplies), 1996 to present
• Siumu and Mulivai Villages, Samoa, June 1996 and August 1997 visits

• Corporation member, American Friends Service Committee (an international non-profit organization)
• Philadelphia, PA, 1995 to present

• Courses taught with multicultural content:
• Multicultural Understanding, Shippensburg University, 2 sections
• Psychology and Women, Shippensburg University, 6 sections
• Political Psychology, Shippensburg University, 1 section
• Psychology of Gender, University of Iowa, 2 sections
• Psychology and Religion, Shippensburg University, 1 section
• Multicultural content integrated into General Psychology and Social Psychology courses

• Instructor for the Striving to Educate People (STEP) program, Summer 1993
• Taught social psychology to 8th grade minority students

• Ethnic Studies Committee, Shippensburg University, 1993-1994

• Attended the following teaching institutes:
• Multicultural Institute, Shippensburg University, May 1994
• Winter Institute on Gender in the Curriculum, Shippensburg University, January 1992

• Coordinator of the collection of general psychology textbooks to be sent to Czechoslovakia, 1991; Shippensburg University

Professional Affiliations

• American Psychological Association
• American Psychological Society
• International Society of Political Psychology
• Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
• Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues

Grants Funded

Assessing the Effects of General Education on College Students

• $4210, January 1993 to August 1994, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
• $5055, June to December 1992, Professional Development Committee, Shippensburg University

Building Bridges Program

• $20,228, August 1993 to May 1994, Human Understanding Committee, Shippensburg University
• $5312, February to May 1993, Human Understanding Committee, Shippensburg University

Values in High Attrition Student Populations

• $1500, June to August 1991, Professional Development Committee, Shippensburg University

Grant Submitted

The Effects of Conscious and Unconscious Awareness of Personal Mortality

• National Science Foundation Research Planning Grant, submitted 7/28/94, requested $18,000
• Not funded; will not be resubmitted because the proposed studies have since been conducted and published by other researchers

Positions in University Governance and Major Committees

• Chair of Psychology Department Professional Development Committee, 1993 to present
• Psychology Department Honors Coordinator, 1995 to present
• Psychology Department Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, 1990 to present
• Faculty Forum, elected at-large member, 1992-1994 and 1994-1996
• Graduate Assistant Allocation Committee, 1994 to 1997
• Dean of Students Search Committee, 1994
• Psychology Department Search Committee, 1993 and 1995
• Ethnic Studies Committee, 1993-1994
• University Honors Committee, 1990-1991

Other Activities

Attended the Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Petersburg, FL, January 1994

Member of the Petitioning Group for a new chapter of the honor society Phi Kappa Phi at Shippensburg University. Installation and first initiation held April 1994.

Faculty advisor to the Psychology Club and Psi Chi, 1991-1992