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Benjamin is a social-health psychologist with expertise in health behavior, research methods and statistics, and survey design. He earned a BA in psychology from the University of Colorado – Boulder, as well as an MA and PhD in applied social psychology from Claremont Graduate University. He is a passionate instructor and mentor; collaborating with students on research is one of his favorite parts of being a professor. He enjoys connecting with students on a personal and academic level. His favorite classes to teach include Research Methods, Social Psychology, Health Psychology, and Statistics. In addition, he is an active researcher in areas of social psychology, motivation, and health. He has authored or co-authored papers on these topics in journals such as Motivation Science, Social Science & Medicine, Journal of Health Communication, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, and Computers in Human Behavior. 

Education

Claremont Graduate University, PhD, Applied Social Psychology

Claremont Graduate University, MA, Applied Social Psychology

University of Colorado, Boulder, BA, Psychology

Research Interests

Benjamin’s research applies social psychological theorizing on motivation and persuasion to health and well-being. His primary stream of research seeks to better understand the type of persuasive health messages that will be most effective during times of uncertainty (e.g., following a serious medical diagnosis). His second stream of research seeks to understand goal-directed motivations for health behaviors that may seem irrational (e.g., initiation of risky drug use).