I am an Associate Dean in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor in the Department of Political Science and Philosophy at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. My research and teaching interests fall within the general categories of public opinion and political psychology.
At UMKC, I teach courses related to political campaigns and the decisions voters make in campaigns. My current slate of courses include
- Political psychology
- Campaigns and elections
- Parties and interest groups
- Practicing Politics
- Public opinion
My research focuses on the ways in which psychological processes affect the formation and persistence of political choices. Specifically, my published work and ongoing projects explore how voters process and use certain types of campaign information (e.g., scandal involvement, physical characteristics like weight) to evaluate political candidates and the ways in which psychological processes bias political decision making.
I am an active member of various academic associations including the American Political Science Association and the International Society of Political Psychology. I currently serve as the past president of the Southwestern Political Science Association.
Academic Credentials
- Ph.D., Political Science, Rice University (2006)
- M.A., Political Science, Rice University (2003)
- B.A., Government, Angelo State University (2001)