Karigan Capps-Cohen
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Mail code: 3051Campus: West
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Karigan Capps-Cohen earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Ohio University in 2019. She went on to earn her master's degree (2022) and PhD (2024) in social psychology from Kent State University, with a specialized focus in health psychology. Dr. Capps-Cohen enjoys instruction and student-mentoring, and has taught various courses including Introductory Psychology, Introductory Statistics, Social Psychology, and Personality Psychology. Dr. Capps-Cohen utilizes student-centered and inclusive teaching practices to impart a set of real-world skills – including critical and analytical thinking – on her students.
PhD, Social Psychology, Kent State University 2024
MA, Psychological Sciences, Kent State University 2022
BA, Psychology, Ohio University 2019
Why do we avoid the doctor or fail to hit the gym after work? In the broader interest of answering questions like these, I seek to understand why people do and do not engage in healthy behavior. I have examined what psychological antecedents lead to health behavior, such as future-oriented thinking and perceptions of illness. I have experimentally tested forms of health communication to encourage healthy behaviors such as e-cigarette cessation, COVID-19 hand hygiene, and Food Allergy safety. More recently, my research focuses on uncovering psychological factors of individuals at risk of endometriosis that may contribute to the diagnostic delay of endometriosis. My research has benefitted immensely from the intellectual and explicit contributions of many student research assistants over the years.
Capps, K. P. & Updegraff, J. A. (2023). How Future Orientations Predict Healthy Outcomes: Information Avoidance as a Potential Mechanism. Journal of Health Psychology (online first) https://doi:10.1177/13591053231214516
Capps, K. P., Updegraff, J. A., Foust, J. L., O’Brien, A. G., & Taber, J. M. (2022). Field Experiment of Signs Promoting Hand Hygiene During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Health Psychology, 41(11), 826 – 832. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0001211
Capps, K. P., Dolciato, I.M., & Updegraff, J. A. (In Prep). Improving Health Sooner Rather Than Later: A Meta-Analysis on the Effectiveness of Health Temporal Framing.
Lahoud, A. L., Capps, K. P., Updegraff, J. A., & Flessner, C.A. (In Prep). Parent Education of Food Allergy Influences Endorsement of School Policy. Journal of Pediatric Nursing.
Capps, K. P., Santoro, A. N., & Updegraff, J. A. (In Prep). Influence of Message Framing on Responses to E-Cigarette Information. Health Communication.
Courses
2026 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PSY 580 | Practicum |
| PSY 290 | Research Methods |
| PSY 335 | Positive Psychology |
| PSY 290 | Research Methods |
| PSY 340 | Psych of Academic Motivation |
| PSY 598 | Special Topics |
2025 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PSY 500 | Research Methods |
| PSY 315 | Personality Theory/Research |
| PSY 384 | Psych Undergrad Teaching Asst |
| PSY 230 | Introduction to Statistics |
| PSY 230 | Introduction to Statistics |
2025 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PSY 230 | Introduction to Statistics |
| PSY 230 | Introduction to Statistics |
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PSY 230 | Introduction to Statistics |
| PSY 230 | Introduction to Statistics |
| PSY 384 | Psych Undergrad Teaching Asst |
| PSY 550 | Advanced Social Psychology |
| PSY 340 | Psych of Academic Motivation |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology |
| PSY 230 | Introduction to Statistics |
| PSY 230 | Introduction to Statistics |