Office
Uhler Hall 216
Office Phone
724-357-4529
E-mail
Tara.Johnson@iup.edu
Spring 2013 Office Hours
- Tuesday 8:00–9:00 a.m.
- Wednesday 9:00 a.m.–12:05 p.m.
- Thursday 8:00–9:00 a.m.
Civic Engagement in Adulthood
What causes people to become involved in their communities and with politics? Dr. Tara Johnson from the Psychology Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania is seeking participants of all adult age groups to complete an on-line survey at their own convenience. This study seeks to examine age differences in and predictors of civic engagement. Participants will have a chance to receive compensation for their time and will have the opportunity to review group results once the study has ended. To learn more about this study, contact Dr. Johnson at civicstudy@gmail.com or 724-357-4529.
How I became interested in Psychology
I took a class in high school that really fascinated me, so I pursued psychology as a major in college. I fell in love with the science very quickly because I had wonderful professors in my undergraduate education.
Areas of Interest
I am a developmental psychologist by training; however, my interests bridge developmental, social, and cognitive psychology. My primary interest is in everyday cognition, which examines how people solve real-life problems (e.g., What would you do if a group of people start gossiping about one of your friends?). The developmental component of my research focuses on whether younger, middle-aged, and older adults perform similarly or differently on everyday problems. The social component of my research focuses on collaborative cognition, which is the field of study that tries to answer the question, “Are two heads better than one?” Perhaps working with a partner, such as one’s spouse or a friend, could improve everyday cognition.
Current Research and Professional Projects
My current main research project, called “Civic Engagment in Adulthood,” involves collaborating with a graduate student in the Educational and School Psychology Department. We will compare age groups on their levels of community involvement and civic engagement. We will also examine factors (e.g., education, personality) that predict levels of civic engagement. Students who are interested in gaining research experience could assist in data collection. We are currently recruiting participants to complete an on-line survey. Students who are interested in independent research projects could potentially use this data to address related research questions (e.g., Are extraverts more likely to volunteer than introverts?). In addition to this project, I have existing data from a study of collaborating younger, middle-aged, and older married couples. Videotaped interactions were coded, and we are currently analyzing the data to determine if couples of varying ages and marital length interact differently.
Degrees/Schools
B.A., 2002, Lebanon Valley College
M.S., 2005, West Virginia University: Developmental Psychology
Ph.D., 2006, West Virginia University: Developmental Psychology
Courses Taught
PSYC 310, 312, 290
