John Unrath

EDUCATION

PhD in Social/Personality Psychology, University of California, Davis (expected 2013)
MA in Social/Personality Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2010
M.Phil in Theology and Religious Studies, University of Cambridge, 2007
BA in Psychology, Theology and Music, Valparaiso University, 2006

RESEARCH
My broad research interests are in the field of the psychology of religion with specific interests in religious fundamentalism, radicalization and religious violence. At UC Davis, I work with Bob Emmons and Alison Ledgerwood. My current research is focused in two main areas. The first seeks to establish a relationship between cognitive complexity and persuasion in an effort to better understand extremist religious propaganda and indoctrination techniques. The second examines the process of interpreting one's sacred texts for fundamentalist vs. non-fundamentalist.  My Dissertation is entitled: "For the Bible tells me so: the effects of Scriptural Attribution on the attitudes and behaviors of religious fundamentalists and non-fundamentalists."

TEACHING
     Instructor:
          Psychology of Religion, Spring 2012
          General Psychology, Spring 2011
     Guest Lecturer:
          Social Psychology, Personality Theory, Psychology of Religion, Fundamentalism
     Teaching Assistant:
          General Psychology, Research Methods in Psychology, Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data, 
          SocialPsychology, Personality Theory, Psychology of Religion, Social Cognition, Fundamentalism