Psychology Faculty - Psychology - Adams State University

Colleen M. Schaffner, Ph.D.

Director of School of Humanities & Social Sciences – Program Chair, Department of Psychology

cschaffner@adams.edu
MCD-356
719-587-7783

Teaching: During Fall 2018 I will be teaching Brain and Behavior and Drugs, Society and Human Behavior. My goal with every student is to treat you as an individual, with different life experiences and strengths. I work with you to foster the development of critical thinking skills, provide the opportunity to apply new knowledge, and develop clear and well-organized scientific writing skills. Whenever possible I like to engage you actively in classroom experiences, whether it is in small group work, drawing brains or learning the dance of the honeybee by doing it! I am looking forward to having more of you engage in your own individual research projects as a capstone experience in your final year.

Jeff Elison, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology

jeffelison@adams.edu
MCD-350
719-587-8175

Notable Accomplishments: In 2007, Dr. Elison was selected to give Southern Utah University’s Grace A. Tanner Distinguished Faculty Lecture. In 2009, he received the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association’s Early Career Award. In 2014, he co-authored the book Vertical Mind, in which he applied principles of sports psychology to rock climbing. As of 2020, his Compass of Shame Scale (CoSS), a self-report measure of shame-focused coping styles, had been translated to 15 languages and used in over 100 studies, including theses and dissertations. Jeff is a passionate advocate for undergraduate research. Along with student co-authors, he has presented over two dozen papers and posters at regional and national conferences. He also currently serves as an editorial board member for Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences and is a frequent ad-hoc reviewer for other journals.

Chris Kam, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

ckam@adams.edu
MCD-354
719-587-7689

Incoherent ideas of ourselves crawl around bugging us. Then, a new discovery bites the nerve of our understanding. Electrifying enlightenment. Echoing energy. Empowering epiphanies. The mind spider-senses oncoming coherence, as multidisciplinary psychological insight looms around the corner. Intellectual adrenaline starts spiderwebbing connections between branches of psychology that swing us from one building of insight to another. This approach to psychology informs both my teaching and research. I have taught and published in Personality Psychology, Social Psychology, Cultural Psychology, Adult Developmental Psychology, Jungian Psychoanalysis, Positive Psychology, Counselling Psychology, the Psychology of Wisdom, and the Psychology of Interpersonal Relationships. I know each student can give a unique take on the body of emerging research in psychology. Learning as an individual, your mind originates melodies for established lyrics of knowledge. You give the world’s intellectual verses unique notes that press fresh keys with the sound instrumentation of ideas. The new pitch shifts the tone of the conversational music. In class, I attempt to conduct this academic symphony of intellectually harmonizing perspectives on the mystery and awe of how the human mind works.

Rena Kirkland, Ph.D.

Professor

rkirkland@adams.edu
MCD-348
719-587-7010 ePortfolio: https://rkirkland1.wixsite.com/my-site

Teaching: I teach Introduction to Psychology, Child Development, Adolescent and Adult Development, Introduction to Statistics, Research Methods, and Cognitive Psychology. My teaching philosophy is that each student has a unique background and worldview from which we can all learn. I work to provide an accepting environment where diversity is celebrated while also challenging you to new ways of thinking and states of cognitive dissonance. While teaching I place a strong emphasis on critical analysis and use in-class discussions, Socratic questioning, and movement-integrated learning activities. A cornerstone to my teaching is to empower you to solve problems, become community leaders, and encourage future generations to reap the benefits of citizenship, education, and psychological science.

Gina Mitchell, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Psychology

gmitchell@adams.edu

Dr. Mitchell received a doctorate in Developmental and Biological Sciences from Virginia Tech in 2006. She has been teaching at Adams State ever since! She teaches a variety of courses including Introduction to Psychology, Brain and Behavior, Psychology of Mental Health, Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior, and Biological Psychology. Dr. Mitchell is passionate about the brain and its role in behavior. Her goal as a teacher is to help you discover the mysteries of the brain and understand how you can use psychology to help you solve problems and reach goals in your life. Over the years, her research has focused on understanding the role of negative emotions in pain processing. Additionally, she has conducted a variety of studies that examine how hostility impacts health and brain function. Recently, she has become interested in the role of the brain in teaching and learning. In 2014, she published a text on the neuroscience of learning with Judy Willis. When Dr. Mitchell is not teaching, you can find her enjoying the outdoors with her family or reading.

Xiang Ao, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Social Psychology

xao@adams.edu

Xiang Ao earned his Ph.D. in Psychology with a focus on social psychological research on intergroup relations and social identity, and he teaches courses such as Introduction to Psychology, Social Psychology, Research Methods, Introduction to Statistics, and Personality in Perspective. In his teaching, he strives to make psychology relevant and accessible by promoting active participation, critical thinking, and encouraging students to connect course concepts with their everyday lives and real-world social issues. He works to foster a classroom environment where students feel supported, curious, and comfortable speaking up and asking questions. Dr. Ao’s research explores social identity, social judgment, group processes, prejudice and discrimination, and intergroup relations across cultural contexts, especially how social change—such as population shifts, urbanization, and migration—shapes how people see and treat one another. Outside the classroom, he enjoys stargazing and astrophotography, which remind him of the value of perspective and curiosity in both science and life.