Tara L Mitchell    Lock Haven University Psychology Department

My Research

One of the greatest benefits of working at an institution like Lock Haven University is its focus on experiential learning for students. Many of my current research projects are student initiated and driven. Students interested in working on a project together should contact me via email (tmitchel@lhup.edu) or phone (570-484-3866). Because of my broad interests, students are often able to create a project in a wide range of areas. I have worked with students on projects ranging from the relationships between GPA and personality to perceptions of sexual assault. These projects may be formal independent studies, part of the required Applying Research Methods in Psychology (PSYC 409) class that I teach in the Fall, or purely for the learning experience. For a list of student projects I have supervised, please see my CV, in the Supervised Student Research section. 

I encourage my students to consider presenting their research findings at a conference, although this is difficult for PSYC 409 projects. The Association for Psychological Science holds an annual conference that is very open to including undergraduate student research and also has several sessions specifically designed to help undergraduates in their progression to graduate school. I am very proud of the undergraduates - Courtney Meyer (APS 2010 and APS 2011), Jeff Birch (APS 2011 and APS 2012), Rachel Taylor (APS 2012), and Jenna Ewing and Casey Schadler (APS 2012) - who have gone on to present their projects with me at national conferences.

In addition to the work I do with students, I have my own research interests, which focus on social justice. I am particularly interested in perceptions of ethnicity, gender (including gender identity), and sexual orientation and how those perceptions influence our understanding of interpersonal violence (sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence, etc). Although my current focus is on social justice, I do still have some projects related to my graduate school training, which include eyewitness testimony and juror decision-making.