The University of Texas at Arlington
My main program of research examines the relationships between social pain, physical pain, and health. Within the broader construct of social pain, I am especially interested in peer victimization (e.g., being bullied or ostracized) and its influence on physical and psychological health. My main program of research to date has been an effort to determine why people who are bullied report more physical and mental health problems than those who are not bullied. I hypothesize that the social stress of being peer victimized alters biological processes which, in turn, leads to poorer health. Moreover, I explore possible protective factors (e.g., social support, friendships) as well as alternative explanations for the link between peer victimization and poor health such as individual differences (e.g., Big Five, rejection sensitivity, need to belong). More recently, I am examining when people decide to intervene to assist someone who is showing signs of psychological distress. To address these questions, my research draws from several disciplines of psychology including social, developmental, personality, health, and social neuroscience.
(last 5 years; students in boldface)
Austin, E.Q., Knack, J.M., Jensen-Campbell, L.A., & Rex-Lear, M. (2020). Social relations and social support. In P. Corr & G. Matthews (Eds.), The Cambridge Handbook of Personality Psychology, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 9781108271226
Knack, J.M. & Towns, B. (2019). Sticks, stones, and stress: PTSD symptoms and pain catastrophizing mediate the association between peer victimization and poor physical health. Spotlight on Mental Health Research. doi:10.35831/sor/mr/skbt2019. Retrieved from https://www.spotlightonresearch.com/mental-health-research/skbt2019
Bowman, A., Knack, J.M., Barry, A.E., Merianos, A.L., Wilson, K.L., McKyer, E.L.J., & Smith, M.L. (2019; online first). Self-perceptions and factors associated with being put down at school among middle and high school students. Journal of School Nursing, **, 1-10. doi: 10.1177/1059840519864144
Rivera, S., Knack, J.M., Kavanagh, K., Thomas, J., Small, M.M., & Ramsdell, M. (2019). Building a STEM mentoring program in an economically disadvantaged, rural community. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 9, 413-422. doi:10.5590/JERAP.2019.09.1.29
*Wormwood, A.R., *Gibbons, A., & Knack, J.M. (2017). Depression and social anxiety mediate the association between peer victimization and cognitive processing styles. Undergraduate Research Journal of Psychology at UCLA, 4, 102-113. https://urjp.psych.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/76/2016/04/URJP-2017_Color-Spreads-with-Cover.pdf
*Gibbons, A., Iyer-Eimerbrink, P. A., & Knack, J. M. (2017). Aggressiveness, assessment of. In B. J. Carducci & Christopher S. Nave (Vol Ed & Editor-in-Chief), The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences: Vol. II. Measurement and Assessment. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
*Pasquariello, K.Z., *Wormwood, A., & Knack, J.M. (2017). Anger and hostility, assessment of. In B. J. Carducci & Christopher S. Nave (Vol Ed & Editor-in-Chief), The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences: Vol. II. Measurement and Assessment. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
*Bird, B.M., Carré, J.M., Knack, J.M., & Arnocky, S. (2016). Threatening men’s mate value influences aggression towards an intrasexual rival: The moderating role of narcissism. American Journal of Psychology, 129, 169-183.
Knack, J.M., *Young, R. & *Smith, N.A. (2016). Child abuse and bullying. In V. Weekes-Shackelford, T. Shackelford, & V. Weekes-Shackelford. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_3649-1
Knack, J.M., Iyer-Eimerbrink, P.A., & *Young, R. (2016). Anonymity of cyberbullying. In V. Weekes-Shackelford, T. Shackelford, & V. Weekes-Shackelford. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2496-1
Conference Presentations
(last 5 years; students in boldface)
*Jawo, M., *Hamilton, B., *Adams, J., Bohl, D., Faber, B., & Knack, J.M. (accepted). Understanding and assessing mental health in EMS/EMT providers during COVID 19. Poster accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, virtual conference.
*Jawo, M., *Wettengel, K., *Fete, Z., *Adams, J.R., *Long, K., *Lucid, T., Barden, M.A., & Knack, J.M. (February, 2020). Developing and testing social media posts that vary in degree of depression conveyed. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.
*Rook. S.M., Knack, J.M., & Iyer-Eimerbrink, P.A. (February, 2020). “Feel the burn or make America great again:” Differences in moral development based on candidate support. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, New Orleans, LA.
*Barker, M., *Colbert, K., *Akula, S., Barden, M., Iyer-Eimerbrink, P.A., & Knack, J.M. (February, 2019). Forming impressions from mock social media profiles: Influence of profile content, mental health, and empathy. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Portland, OR.
*Akula, S., *Barker, M., *Colbert, K., *Morgan, A., Barden, M. & Knack, J.M. (February, 2019). Detecting depression from mock social media posts: Effect of post creator’s age on expressing concern and offering help. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Portland, OR.
Cole, J., Hoffmann, C., Kastner, S., Knack, J.M., Propst, L., & Staiger, A. [listed in alphabetic order; equal contribution] (September, 2018). Co-organizer of the Impossible Projects Working Group Bi-annual Symposium Challenging Barriers of Expression and Promoting Social Change: Interdisciplinary Conversations on Power, Activism, and the Academy, Peterborough, Ontario.
Knack, J.M. & Barden, M. (September, 2018). College students use indicators of depression on mock social media profiles to form impressions of poster. Presented at the Impossible Projects Working Group Bi-annual Symposium Challenging Barriers of Expression and Promoting Social Change: Interdisciplinary Conversations on Power, Activism, and the Academy, Peterborough, Ontario.
Hoffmann, C. & Knack, J.M. (September, 2018). Collaborating across fields and disciplines. Co-moderated open discussion at the Impossible Projects Working Group Bi-annual Symposium Challenging Barriers of Expression and Promoting Social Change: Interdisciplinary Conversations on Power, Activism, and the Academy, Peterborough, Ontario.
*Avery, S., *Kon, J., *Spaziani, G., *Colbert, D., *Johnson, B., *Barker, M., Iyer-Eimerbrink, P.A., & Knack, J.M. (March, 2018). Creating and pilot testing mock social media profiles: College student detect varying levels of depression. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Atlanta, GA.
*Barker, M., *Avery, S., *Johnson, B., *Colbert, D., *Kon, J., *Spaziani, G., Iyer-Eimerbrink, P.A., & Knack, J.M. (March, 2018). To help or not to help? Detecting depression on mock profiles and forming impressions of electronic interaction partners. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Atlanta, GA.
Knack, J.M. (January, 2018). Health psychology: Implementing a tobacco free campus policy. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Pete Beach, FL.
*Young, R.A., *Spaziani, G., & Knack, J.M. (March, 2017). Electronic interactions: College students detect depression through social media profiles. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, MA.
*Bowman, A., Knack, J.M., Orpinas, P., Barry, A.E., Wilson, K.L., McKyer, E.L.J., & Smith, M.L. (March, 2017). Self-perceptions and factors associated with being ‘put down’ at school among middle and high school students. Poster presented at the American Academy of Health Behavior Annual Conference. Tucson, AZ.
Cole, J., Duemer, J., Knack, J.M., Pedersen, S., & Propst, L. [listed in alphabetic order; equal contribution] (September, 2016). Co-organizer of the David A. Walsh ’67 Arts and Science Mini-Conference Impossible Projects: Power and Alterity in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Potsdam, New York.
Knack, J.M. (September, 2016). Interpreting social media activity: Does detecting depression lead to offering assistance? Presented at the David A. Walsh ’67 Arts and Science Mini-Conference Impossible Projects: Power and Alterity in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Potsdam, New York.
Knack, J.M. & *Pasquariello, K.Z. (May, 2016). Anticipated daily stress and perceived social stress affect salivary cortisol levels. Presented at the annual meeting of Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, Illinois.
Knack, J.M., *McTamaney, K.A., *Cuddeback, D., *Sharlow, B., *Williams, S., *Loiacano, A., & *Hannan, M. (January, 2016). Single versus multiple social stressors differentially affects blood glucose levels and self-regulation. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA.
*Gibbons, A., Knack, J.M., & Legault, L. (January, 2016). Lacking versus wanting social support: Their unique roles in mediating the link between peer victimization and health. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA
Knack, J.M. & Barden, M. (January, 2016). Application challenge project: Using social psychology to improve real world problems. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Pete Beach, FL.
Invited Colloquiums/Trainings/Webinars
Knack, J.M. (November, 2020). The importance of mental health at this time of crisis. Webinar/talk for St. Dominic College of Asia, Philippines.
Knack, J.M. (April, 2020). Coping and mental health during COVID-19. Webinar presented for target audience of NYS Financial Aid Administrators Association.
Knack, J.M. (March, 2020). COVID-19 and mental health. Webinar presented for target audience of Clarkson alum. Clarkson University. http://clarkson.adobeconnect.com/pl6shvlq9uv6/
Knack, J.M. (April, 2019). What’s in a post? Detecting depression from social media posts. Walsh University. Canton, OH.
Knack, J.M. (March, 2019). Scrolling through: College students detect depression from social media posts. University of Portland, Portland, OR.
Knack, J.M. (March, 2019). Interpreting social media activity: Detecting indicators of depression from mock social media profiles. Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston, ID.
Knack, J.M. (January, 2019). Seeing the world as we know it. Invited training for the Office of Student Life and Clarkson Union Board, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY.
Knack, J.M. (December, 2018). Beyond the typed words: Detecting indicators of depression from social media posts. Invited presentation at New York State Master Teachers conference, Potsdam, NY.
Knack, J.M. (January, 2017). Psychology, social media, and more. Invited presentation at Clarkson University Library Retreat, Potsdam, NY.
Knack, J.M. (March, 2016). Effects of social stressors: Do people detect poor mental health on social media? Invited presentation at SUNY Potsdam, Potsdam, NY.