Catherine Cottrell
Associate Professor of Psychology
Education
Ph.D., Arizona State University
M.A., Wake Forest University
B.S., The College of William & Mary
As a social psychologist, Professor Cottrell examines how the everyday thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals are influenced by the presence of others. Her current research focuses primarily on the diverse ways in which people think, feel, and act toward members of various social groups (whether based on gender, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or other distinctions). In addition, she is involved with research on self-presentation, identity, and evolutionary psychology. She is also interested in statistics and research methodology.
Recent Courses
Social Psychology
Stigma & Prejudice
Advanced Statistics for Psychology
Laboratory in Social and Personality Psychology
Introductory Psychology Seminar: Social Influence
Impression Management
Psychology of Good & Evil
Selected Publications
Cook, C. L., & Cottrell, C. A. (2021). You don’t know where he’s been: Sexual promiscuity negatively affects responses toward both gay and straight men. Psychology of Men & Masculinities, 22(1), 63-76.
Cook, C. L., Li, Y. J., Newell, S. M., Cottrell, C. A., & Neel, R. (2018). The world is a scary place: Individual differences in Belief in a Dangerous World predict specific intergroup prejudices. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 21(4), 584–596.
Nichols, A. L., & Cottrell, C. A. (2015). Establishing versus preserving impressions: Predicting success in the multiple audience problem. International Journal of Psychology, 50(6), 472-478.
Cook, C. L., Cottrell, C. A., & Webster, G. D. (2015). No good without God: Antiatheist prejudice as a function of threats to morals and values. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 7, 217-226.
Nichols, A. L., & Cottrell, C. A. (2014). What do people desire in their leaders? The role of leadership level on trait desirability. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(4), 711-729.
Leary, M. R., Kelly, K. M., Cottrell, C. A., & Schreindorfer, L. S. (2013). Construct validity of the Need to Belong Scale: Mapping the nomological network. Journal of Personality Assessment, 95, 610-624.
Cottrell, C. A., & Park, J. H. (2013). Evolutionary perspectives on prejudice. In C. Stangor & C. Crandall (Eds.), Stereotyping and prejudice (pp. 29-51). New York: Psychology Press.
Webster, G. D., Cottrell, C. A., Schember, T. O., Crysel, L. C., Crosier, B. S., Gesselman, A. N., & Le., B. M. (2012). Two sides of the same coin? Viewing altruism and aggression through the adaptive lens of kinship. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 6, 575-588.
Cottrell, C. A., Richards, D. A. R., & Nichols, A. L. (2010). Predicting policy attitudes from general prejudice versus specific intergroup emotions. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 46, 247-254.
Neuberg, S. L., & Cottrell, C. A. (2008). Managing the threats and opportunities afforded by human sociality. Groups Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 12, 63-72.
Cottrell, C. A., Neuberg, S. L., & Li, N. P. (2007). What do people desire in others? A sociofunctional perspective on the importance of different valued characteristics. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 208-231.
Cottrell, C. A., & Neuberg, S. L. (2005). Different emotional reactions to different groups: A sociofunctional threat-based approach to ‘prejudice.’ Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88, 770-789.
Leary, M. R., Cottrell, C. A., & Phillips, M. (2001). Deconfounding the effects of dominance and social acceptance on self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 81, 898-909.