Education

Ph.D., M.A., University of New Hampshire; B.A., Boston College

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Bio

My goal is to help students create meaningful knowledge through active learning and critical thinking.

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What I Love About Emmanuel:

Student learning is the priority, whether it is through coursework, faculty-student research, internships, or co-curricular activities.  Everything we do is about providing students the best possible education that will enable them to meet their personal and professional goals.  That is why I became a teacher.

Courses I Teach

• PSYCH1201 - General Psychology
• PSYCH 2105 - Cross-Cultural Psychology
• PSYCH2203 - Social Psychology
• PSYCH 2801 - Methods & Statistics I
• 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

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Publications + Presentations

*Indicates student co-author

• Smirles, K. E. & *Fitzpatrick, C. R. (2013).  Predictors of Women's Body Satisfaction:  Media, Body Discrepancy, and Thin Ideal Internalization.  Paper presented at the annual Eastern Psychological Association's conference. New York, NY.
• Smirles, K. E., *Almeida, A., *Medeiros, B., & *Petrone, S. (2013).  Ideal Partner Perception:  Examining Body Discrepancies, Social Attitudes, and Body Satisfaction.  Poster presented at the annual Eastern Psychological Association's conference. New York, NY.
• Smirles, K. E. & *Harrison, K. (2012).  "Ideal" Partners and Body Image Discrepancy:  Roles of Sex/Gender and Social Attitudes.  Poster presented at the annual Association for Psychological Science Convention, Chicago, IL.
• 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.

Poster Presentations (PDFs)

• Eastern Psychological Assocation - "Ideal Partner Perceptions: Examining Body discrepancies, Social Attitudes, and Body Satisfaction" (2013)
• Association for Psychological Science - "'Ideal' Partners & Body Image Discrepancy: Role of Sex/Gender and Social Beliefs" (2012)
• Association for Psychological Science - "Students Serving the College Community Through Research:  A Course Model" (2011)
• Association for Psychological Science - "Effect of Viewing Thin Versus Normal Body Shapes on Body Image Perception" (2011)
• Association for Psychological Science - "The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Perceived Stress" (2010)
• Association for Psychological Science - "Effects of Perceived Stress And Social Support on Students' Adjustment to College"
• Eastern Psychological Assocation - "Predictors of Women's Body Satisfaction: Media, Body Discrepancy, and Thin Ideal Internalization"

Grants + Recognition

• Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching, Emmanuel College (May 2003)
• Impact Award, Office of Student Activities and Multicultural Programs, Emmanuel College (2008-2009)

Research Focus

I am an experimental social psychologist and believe strongly in conducting applied research that can benefit others. My research focuses primarily on media and body image.  I focus on understanding the immediate and long-term effects of media on social cognition, social perception, and the self-concept.  More recently, I'm interested in looking at the specific role of mindfulness as a potential buffer against the negative effects of media.  My ultimate goal is to develop an intervention aimed at increasing people's mindfulness and improving body image.  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.

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