Kimberly Eretzian Smirles
Associate Professor of Psychology
Ph.D., M.A., University of New Hampshire; B.A., Boston College
Office hours: Tuesday 9:30-10:30 a.m.; Thursday 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Other times by appointment
Office: Administration Building, Room 420-B
Phone: (617) 735-9733
E-mail: smirles@emmanuel.edu
My goal is to help students create meaningful knowledge through active learning and critical thinking.
Current Research
I am an experimental social psychologist and believe strongly in conducting applied research that can benefit others. Currently, I have two programs of research. The Media and Body Image Project focuses on understanding the immediate and long-term effects of media on social cognition, social perception, and the self-concept. One aspect is examining how media exposure and social attitudes affect self-evaluations. Another aspect is how people's own attitudes, beliefs, and experiences influence their evaluations of others. The Identity and Leadership Project focuses broadly on the impact social media on identity development, and specifically on how the changing trends in the current generation affect their leadership abilities. Students work with me in every aspect of the research, gaining critical experience to prepare them for their educational and professional goals. All of this experience strengthens my teaching, which is my highest priority.
Courses Taught
- PSYCH1201 - General Psychology
- PSYCH2203 - Social Psychology
- PSYCH3101 - Psychology of Women
- PSYCH3211 - Theories of Personality
- PSYCH4100 - Experimental Psychology
- PSYCH4282-4283 - Senior Directed Research I & II
- FYS1101 - Social Construction of Difference
- MGMT 7177 - Gender Issues in Organizations
Recent Professional Positions
- Chair, Psychology Department, Emmanuel College 2007-Present
- Coordinator, Gender & Women's Studies Program, Emmanuel College 2002-2008
- Member, Board of Directors, New England Conference on Inclusive Teaching (NECIT) 2006-2010
Significant Publications/Presentations/Panels
*Indicates student co-author
Smirles, K. E. (2011). Service learning in a Psychology of Women course: Transforming students and the community. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 35, 331. doi: 10.1177/0361684311403660
Smirles, K. E., *Sullivan, E., & *Fitzpatrick, C. (2011). Effects of Model Size and Evaluation Type on Women's Body Satisfaction. Poster presented at the annual Association for Psychological Science Convention, Washington, D.C.
Smirles, K. E. & Benzie, S. (2011). Students Servicing the College Community through Research: A Course Model. Poster presented at the annual Association for Psychological Science-Society for the Teaching of Psychology Convention, Washington, D.C.
*Delaney, R. & Smirles, K. E. (2011). Effects of Perceived Stress and Social Support on Students' Adjustment to College. Poster presented at the annual Association for Psychological Science Convention, Washington, D.C.
*Bahnan, S. & Smirles, K. E. (2011). The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Perceived Stress. Poster presented at the annual Association for Psychological Science Convention, Washington, D.C.
Smirles, K. E. & *Sullivan, E. (May, 2010). Effect of viewing thin versus normal body shapes on body image perception. Poster presented at the annual Association for Psychological Science Convention, Boston.
*Peltier, M. & Smirles, K. E. (May, 2010). Reality Heaven or Hell?: Reality television's impact on females' levels of body satisfaction. Poster presented at the Association for Psychological Science Convention, Boston.
*Silveira, M. & Smirles, K. E. (2010). Living Situations of First-Year College Students: Crowding, Roommate Relationships, and Academic Achievement. Poster accepted for presentation at the Association for Psychological Science Convention, Boston.
Smirles, K.E., Wetherilt, A., Murphy, M., & *Patterson, E. (2009). Transgender Realities: Students Lives and community change. Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self-Knowledge, 7 (1) 61-74.
Smirles, K. E. (2009). Test Bank for Franzoi's Social Psychology 5th Ed.. Boston, MA: McGraw Hill Publishers.
Smirles, K. E., Hains, R., & *Shanahan-Roberge, D. (August, 2008). Content analysis of gender narratives in primetime television advertisements. Poster presented at the American Psychological Association in Boston, MA.
*Brown, C., Gibbons, J. L., & Smirles, K. E. (2007). Tribal teachers are important to American Indian Adolescents. American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 31 (2), 103-111.
Smirles, K. E., Murphy, M., Wetherilt, A., *Benson, L., & *Patterson, E. (2007), Transgender Realities: Student Lives and Community Challenges. Invited panel of faculty and students conducted at the New England Center for Inclusive Teaching (NECIT) 2007 Annual Conference.
Hains, R. & Smirles, K. E. (June, 2007) Sex role and narrative structure in television advertisements: A content analysis. Poster presented at the National Women's Studies Association Conference, St. Charles, Illinois.
Smirles, K. E. & Stork, D. (2007). Addressing the IRB "Fear Factor." Poster presented at the annual Teaching Institute of the Association for Psychological Science Conference, Washington, DC.
Smirles, K. E., Hains, R., & *Shanahan-Roberge, D. (2007). Sex Sells: Content analysis of primetime television advertisements. Poster presented at the Association for Psychological Science, Washington, DC.
*Brown, C. & Smirles, K. E. (2006). Examining bicultural ethnic identity of adolescents of a northeastern Indian tribe. American Indian Culture and Research Journal.29 (3), 81-100.
Smirles, K. E. (2005). Test Bank for Franzoi's Social Psychology 4th Ed.. Boston, MA: McGraw Hill Publishers.
Crisostomo, M., Smirles, K. E., *Baber, L., & *Shanahan-Roberge, D. (2006). First year seminars and inclusive teaching: Understanding the long-term impact of pedagogical practices on student academic success. Panel presentation at the New England Center for Inclusive Teaching (NECIT) conference. University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA.
Smirles, K.E. (2004). Attributions of responsibility in cases of sexual harassment: The person and the situation. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 34(2), 342-365.
