Our Faculty

Courses I Teach

• PSYCH1201 - General Psychology
• PSYCH2211 - Race, Gender, & Sexuality: Intersections of Privilege and Oppression
• PSYCH2203 - Social Psychology
• PSYCH2801 - Methods & Statistics I
• PSYCH3101 - Psychology of Women
• HONORS2601 - Developing Leadership & Creating Community Change

Publications + Presentations

*Indicates student co-author

• Mehta, C., Wilson, J., & Smirles, K.E. (2021). Gender segregation and its correlates at mid-life and beyond.  The International Journal of Aging and Human Development.

• Smirles, K. E., Basile, K., *Arteaga, L., *Aughenbaugh, A., *Logue, S., & *Nasser, S. (2020).  Raising Japanese Women’s Consciousness of Gender Stereotypes and Women as Leaders:  A Qualitative Analysis of a Women & Leadership Course.  International Women’s Studies Journal, 80, 1-12. doi:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsif.2020.102359

• Wilson, J.* & Smirles, K. E. (2020). College Students’ Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence: An Exploration of Gender and Types of Violence.  Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 1-23. doi: 10.1177/0886260520908025

• Smirles, K. E. & Lin, L. (2018).  Changes in anti-fat weight bias in women after exposure to thin and plus-sized models.  Social Science Journal.  doi: 10.1016/j.soscij.2018.02.002

• Smirles, K. E. (2017).  Raising consciousness of gender roles through cross-cultural analysis:  A course on women and leadership for Japanese women.  Psychology of Women Quarterly, 1, 1-4. doi: 10.1177/0361684317701424

• Keener, E., Mehta, C., & Smirles, K. E. (2017).  Contextualizing Bem:  The developmental social psychology of masculinity and femininity.  In M. H. Kohlman & D. B. Krieg (Eds.) The legacy of Sandra L. Bem:  Discourses on Gender and Sexual Inequality.  San Diego:  Emerald.

• 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., 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 5^th Ed..  Boston, MA:  McGraw Hill Publishers.

• *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.

• *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 4^th Ed..  Boston, MA:  McGraw Hill Publishers.

• 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.

• *Brown, C. & Smirles, K. E.  (2003a).  Examining Bicultural Ethnic Identity of American Indian Adolescents (Report No. CGO32695).  Paper published in the ERIC database (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.  ED480493). 

• Peterson, B. E., Smirles, K. A., & Wentworth, P. A. (1997). Generativity and authoritarianism:  Research on personality, parenting, and political involvement.  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72 (5), 1202-1216.

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"

Research Focus

I am an experimental social psychologist and believe strongly in conducting applied research that can benefit others. My broad interests focus on gender roles and how sociocultural expectations affect people’s self-perceptions and behavior. Some of my research is directed at understanding the social, cognitive, and behavioral factors that affect women’s body image, such as mindfulness. I have also investigated how Japanese women’s perceptions of gender roles relate to their beliefs about leadership, as well as their self-efficacy in terms of their perceived ability to become a leader.  In both areas, I have mostly focused on college-aged students, however, my next step is to examine similar factors in women over 40.  My long-term goal is to develop educational interventions aimed at improving body image and leadership self-efficacy.

I welcome any interested students into my lab, and they have to ability to participate at each level of the research process, gaining critical experience to prepare them for their educational and professional goals.  I work to provide them with the best possible experience tailored to their interests.  Many students are co-authors of both journal publications and professional presentations.

Currently, I am co-authoring a textbook, Psychology of Women: A Psychobiosocial Perspective, with my esteemed colleague, Dr. Joan Rollins.  Students interested in doing background research and contributing to a text have been working with me over the past year.  I look forward to when our collaborative efforts come to fruition.