Dr. Eric Stephens
Professor of Psychology

Dr. Eric Charles Stephens holds a B.A. in Psychology from Berea College, an M.A. in Applied Experimental Psychology from Western Kentucky University, and a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology, and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Kentucky. His interests include sport psychology, human factors psychology, and cognitive psychology.

Courses Taught

• Basic Psychology (PSYC 131); Also in Bridge and Lifelong Learning programs
• Psychology and Human Development (PSYC 232); Also in Bridge program
• Industrial/Organizational Psychology (PSYC 338); Also in Bridge program
• Special Topics in Education (EDUC 431)
• Psychology of Learning and Exceptionality (PSYC 238)
• Research Design and Statistics I (PSYC 234)
• Research Design and Statistics II (PSYC 244)
• Sport Psychology (PSYC 401)
• Adult Development (PSYC 332)
• Directed Studies- Readings or Research (PSYC 491)
• Senior Seminar (PSYC 499)
• Learning and Cognition (PSYC 436)
• Principles of Academic and Personal Development (STSK 120)
• Research Methods in Education (EDOL 630)
• Evaluation, Measurement, and Assessment (EDOL 532)
• Research Methods in Counseling (PSYOL 536)
• Organizational Behavior (BUOL 532)
• INSIGHTS since 2003

Professional Memberships

• Association for Psychological Science (formerly the American Psychological
• Society)Society for the Teaching of Psychology
• Psi Chi
• Kentucky Psychological Association (KPA)

Peer-reviewed publications

1. Stephens, E..C. (2011). Creating musical group names to aid student memory. In H. Blythe & C. Sweet (Eds.). It Works for Me Creatively. New Forums Press.
2. Higdon, L. G., & Stephens, E. C. (2008). Preferred music genre: The influence of major personality factors. Psi Chi Journal of Undergraduate Research, 13(3), 140-147.   
3. Stephens, E. C., Carswell, C. M., & Schumacher, M. M. (2006) Evidence for an elders’ advantage in the naive product usability judgments of older and younger adults. Human Factors, 48(3), 422-433. 
4. Carswell, M, Rinaldo, S., & Stephens, E. (2005). Representative sampling of users? To the contrary.  Ergonomics in Design, 13(4), 25-27. 

Peer-reviewed presentations and published abstracts

• Stephens, E. C. A common make-up exam policy across faculty: Is it effective? To be presented at the Teaching Institute affiliated with the Association for Psychological Science Convention, Chicago, May 2012.
• Stephens, E. C. Group project grades are just not fair!: Perceptions of 360 degree feedback. Presented at the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology in St. Petersburg, FL, January, 2011
• Stephens, E. C. Make-up Exams: Student Perception and Performance. Presented atthe 22nd Annual Southeastern Conference on the Teaching of Psychology in Atlanta, GA, February 2010.
• *Flora, K., & Stephens, E. C. Influence of sports and employment on grade point average. Kentucky Psychological Association Conference in Lexington, KY, March 2009.
• * Higdon, L G., & Stephens, E. C. Preferred music genre: The influence of major personality factors.  Southeastern Psychological Association Convention in Charlotte, NC, March 2008.

* indicates a student