Primary Investigator
Jennifer M. Taber, PhD
Jennifer Taber is an Assistant Professor at Kent State University in the Department of Psychological Sciences. She received her BA in Psychology at American University and her MS and PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Utah. Dr. Taber was a postdoctoral cancer research training award (CRTA) fellow for 2 years in the Behavioral Research Program of the National Cancer Institute. Her research lies at the intersection of social and health psychology and centers on promoting health behavior change across multiple domains. One of her major research interests is understanding when and why risk perceptions predict behavior and how to intervene to increase the likelihood that providing risk information will lead to behavior change, particularly in the domain of providing genetic risk feedback.
Contact Info:
Email:
Office: Kent Hall Annex 309
Phone: (330) 672-3783
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Courses Taught:
Health Psychology (41581)
Psychology of Risk Communication (Seminar, 41495/81591)
Social Psychology (61580/71580)
Current Graduate Students
Nicolle Simonovic, BS
Nicolle is a third year PhD student in the Psychological Sciences program at Kent State University. She is interested in the intersection of social psychology and health psychology. Her work broadly focuses on ways in which social factors can help us understand and encourage healthy behaviors. In particular, current studies focus on how perceptions of uncertainty and risk influence psychological and behavioral responses to health information. Other areas of focus include the use of self-affirmations and construals as intervention strategies for health promotion. Nicolle received her Bachelor's degree in Psychological Science from John Carroll University. In her free time she enjoys running, cooking, and taking adventures with family, friends, and her adorable dog Eddie.
Contact Info:
Office: Kent Hall 390
Phone: (330) 672-2319
Courses Taught:
Psychology of Everyday Life
Career Pathways In Psychology
Jeremy Foust, BS
Jeremy is a first year PhD student in the Psychological Sciences program at Kent State University. He is interested in social psychology, specifically in the self-concept and self-affirmation. His undergraduate research investigated adaptive decision making as a mediator between self-complexity and stress. He is also interested in how self-affirmation influences health-related behavior and in how math anxiety can impact our perception of health risks. Jeremy received his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Baldwin Wallace University. In his free time, Jeremy likes to play, watch, and read about soccer. He also enjoys reading, working out, and playing Overwatch.
Current Research Assistants
Erika Schemmel, BS
Erika is Lab Manager of the SHRP lab. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Alabama. She is interested in how psychology can help people lead healthier lives. Specifically, she is interested in understanding the motives underlying health behaviors. In her free time, she enjoys running, baking, and spending time in the great outdoors.
Brielle Gay, MS, RDN, LD
Brielle is currently working on completing a minor in psychology. She is a registered dietitian with her Bachelors and Masters degrees in nutrition from Kent State. She will be applying to Ph.D. programs in clinical psychology with a health concentration so that she can merge her knowledge of nutrition with psychology. She enjoys spending time with her family, friends and animals, as well as hiking, cooking, and pottery.
Steven Neville
Steven is a senior at Kent State University studying psychology, with a concentration in counseling careers, and a minor in interpersonal communication. He is currently working on his Senior Honors Thesis in the SHRP lab. He also is a research assistant in the Pediatric Health and Stress Lab. After graduating, he hopes to attend graduate school in the field of clinical psychology. In his free time, he likes to play basketball, hang out with friends, and listen to as much music as possible.
Abby O'Brien
Abigail is a senior at Kent State University studying psychology. In addition to the SHRP lab, she is an active member in Dr. John Dunlosky's Metacognition Lab and another second social psychology lab that has a focus on well-being. After graduating, she hopes to attend graduate school in the field of social psychology. She is particularly interested in social cognition. In her free time, Abigail likes to stay active, spend time with friends, and hang out with her dog.
Bailey Brogan
Bailey is currently a junior majoring in Psychology and American Sign Language. Along with conducting research, she tutors psychology and conflict management at Kent State. After graduating, Bailey plans to attend graduate school and become a therapist. In her free time, she likes to play sports, make art, and hang out with her friends.
