Research

Generating and disseminating knowledge from scientific research is one of the primary missions of the VCU Department of Psychology. Faculty members published 75 journal articles and book chapters in 2007.  Departmental faculty received nearly $2.4 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health and $1.5 million in non-NIH funding in 2007.

There are several very noteworthy features about the department’s research activity. First, faculty members are heavily engaged in applied research, particularly in the areas of health psychology, community interventions, children and families, and social psychology. The entire department takes a scientist-practitioner approach to research — conducting research with a practical benefit for the local community and society as a whole, and using research to inform practice. Many faculty members have research projects that involve developing, evaluating and disseminating community interventions for treating or preventing behaviors (such as violence, smoking and drug use) with serious health risks.

Second, research in the department is a collaborative activity. Faculty members in the Department of Psychology collaborate on research with each other, with faculty around the university and with students. The department faculty is very collaborative; many of the department’s publications include multiple faculty members as authors, and over 40 graduate students were co-authors with faculty on research papers during 2007. Students also are very active in applying for and receiving grants to fund their research; four graduate students are funded by National Research Service Awards (F31) from the National Institutes of Health for the 2007 academic year.