Joseph Pelletier, PhD

Education

• PhD in Social Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, England
• Postgraduate Certification in Higher Education, University of Kent, Canterbury, England
• MSc in Social and Applied Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, England
• BA in Psychology, Texas A&M University

Courses Taught

• General Psychology
• Child Psychology
• Adolescent Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Psychology of Learning
• Statistics for Psychology
• Research Methods
• Advanced Research Methods

Teaching Focus

Dr. Pelletier’s primary teaching interests are social psychology, developmental psychology, research methods, and statistics. He teaches these courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

Research Interests

His primary research interests are socio-cognitive development, subjective group dynamics, social identity, prosocial behavior, stereotypes, and prejudice.

Publications

Some of his recent publications include:

• Pelletier, J. (2017, accepted). The Relationship Between Christian Social Identity and Prosocial Behavior. Presented at the 2016 Society of Personality and Social Psychology Annual Conference. San Antonio, Texas.
• Pelletier, J. (2016). Elevating Critical Thought About Fundamental Attribution Error in Social Contexts. Presented at the 5^th Annual Psychology One Conference. Stanford University, Palo Alto, California.
• Ritt, B. & Pelletier, J. (2016). The Impact of Social Identity and Racial Salience on Judgments of Police and Civilian Interactions. Presented at the 2016 Society of Personality and Social Psychology Annual Conference. San Diego, California.

Additional Information

Committee Service/Offices Held:

Dr. Pelletier is on the College of Education and Behavioral Science Research and Development committee. Additionally, he serves as thesis chair and committee member for students in the College’s graduate program.

Previous/Current Professional Positions:

In addition to his position at HCU, Dr. Pelletier is also employed as a Statistical Analyst for the County of San Bernardino, California. Prior to joining HCU, he was an Assistant Professor of Psychology at California Baptist University in Riverside, California.

Personal Interests or Hobbies:

His personal interests include Star Wars, cars, and motorcycles. When he’s not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and their three young children. Dr. Pelletier spends his free time working on and riding his Harley Davidson.