Catherine A. Sanderson
My research is based in social-personality psychology and specifically on issues within close relationships and health-related behaviors. First, I study the interaction of individuals in close relationships (e.g., friendships, dating relationships, marriages), and how the actual and perceived goals of both partners influence patterns of interaction, strategies of conflict resolution, and relationship satisfaction.
Second, I look at individuals’ accuracy in perceiving others’ attitudes and behaviors (e.g., in terms of eating and exercise, alcohol use, condom use), as well as how such perceptions (and misperceptions) influence one’s own attitudes and behaviors. For example, women see other women as thinner and as exercising more than they themselves do, and women who feel more discrepant from others show higher rates of eating disorders.
Third, my research examines why individuals learn more when they receive personally-relevant or “matching” messages (e.g., videos, brochures, advertisements) about health related topics (e.g., eating disorders, condom use).
Primary Interests:
- Applied Social Psychology
- Close Relationships
- Health Psychology
- Personality, Individual Differences
- Persuasion, Social Influence
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The Psychology of Inaction
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17:42 The Psychology of Inaction
Length: 17:42
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51:49 The Surprising New Science on the Power of Mind Over Body
Length: 51:49
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1:30:41 The Science of Happiness
Length: 1:30:41
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52:00 How to Get Into a Positive Mindset for Success
Length: 52:00
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52:16 How to Boost Your Psychological Resilience in a Crisis
Length: 52:16
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5:54 The Secrets to Happiness
Length: 5:54
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3:44 Meet Catherine Sanderson
Length: 3:44
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1:18:35 The Psychology of Courage and Inaction
Length: 1:18:35
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57:03 Nothing Either Good or Bad, But Thinking Makes It So
Length: 57:03
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1:02:07 The Art of Aging: A Prescription for Mind and Body
Length: 1:02:07
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1:03 America and Happiness
Length: 1:03
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49:34 Why We Act: Turning Bystanders Into Moral Rebels
Length: 49:34
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1:23:02 The Science of Happiness (NACCED21 Keynote)
Length: 1:23:02
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51:11 Why We Act on Provocative Enlightenment
Length: 51:11
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:51 "Why We Act" | Official Trailer
Length: :51
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1:07:25 Merely Bystanders: The Psychology of Courage and Inaction
Length: 1:07:25
Books:
Journal Articles:
- Mutterperl, J. A., & Sanderson, C. A. (2002). Mind over matter: Internalization of the thinness norm as a moderator of responsiveness to norm misperception education in college women. Health Psychology, 21.
- Sanderson, C. A. (1999). Role of relationship context in influencing college students' responsiveness to HIV prevention videos. Health Psychology, 18, 295-300.
- Sanderson, C. A., & Cantor, N. (2001). The association of intimacy goals and marital satisfaction: A test of four mediational hypotheses. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 1567-1577.
- Sanderson, C. A., & Cantor, N. (1997). Creating satisfaction in steady dating relationships: The role of personal goals and situational affordances. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 1424-1433.
- Sanderson, C. A., & Cantor, N. (1995). Social dating goals in late adolescence: Implications for safer sexual activity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68, 1121-1134.
- Sanderson, C. A., Darley, J. M., & Messinger, C. S. (2001). "I’m not as thin as you think I am": The development and consequences of feeling discrepant from the thinness norm. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 461-471.
- Sanderson, C. A., & Evans, S. M. (2001). Seeing one's partner through intimacy-colored glasses: An examination of the processes underlying the intimacy goals-relationship satisfaction link. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 463-473.
- Sanderson, C. A., & Holloway, R. M. (2003). Who benefits from what? Drive for thinness as a moderator of responsiveness to different eating disorders prevention messages. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 33, 1837-1861.
- Sanderson, C. A., & Karetsky, K. H. (2002). Intimacy goals and strategies of conflict resolution in dating relationships: A mediational analysis. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 19, 323-343.
- Sanderson, C. A., Keiter, E. J., Miles, M. G., & Yopyk, D. J. A. (2007). The association between intimacy goals and plans for initiating dating relationships. Personal Relationships, 14, 225-243.
- Sanderson, C. A., Rahm, K. B., & Beigbeder, S. A. (2005). The pursuit of intimacy goals in close friendships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 22, 75-98.
- Sanderson, C. A., Wallier, J. M., Stockdale, J. E., & Yopyk, D. J. (2008). Who feels discrepant and how does feeling discrepant matter? Examining the presence and consequences of feeling discrepant from personal and social norms related to thinness in American and British high school girls. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 27, 991-1016.
- Sanderson, C. A., & Yopyk, D. J. A. (2007). Improving condom use intentions and behavior by changing perceived partner norms: An evaluation of condom promotion videos for college students. Health Psychology, 26, 481-487.
Other Publications:
- Sanderson, C. A. (2004). The link between intimacy goals and satisfaction in close relationships: An examination of the underlying processes. In D. Mashek & A. Aron (Eds.), The Handbook of Closeness and Intimacy (pp. 247-266). New York: Erlbaum.
- Sanderson, C. A., & Cantor, N. (1999). A life task perspective on personality coherence: Stability versus change in tasks, goals, strategies, and outcomes. In D. Cervone & Y. Shoda (Eds.), The coherence of personality: Social-cognitive bases of consistency, variability, and organization (pp. 372-392). New York: Guilford Press.
Courses Taught:
Catherine A. Sanderson
Department of Psychology
Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts 01002
United States of America
- Phone: (413) 542-2438
- Fax: (413) 542-2145