Susan Krauss Whitbourne

Susan Krauss Whitbourne
OccupationProfessor of Psychology
Awards
  • Presidential Citation (2011)
  • Distinguished Membership Award from Psi Chi (2018)
Academic background
Alma materUniversity at Buffalo; Columbia University
Academic work
InstitutionsUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst

Susan Krauss Whitbourne (born 1948) is a developmental clinical psychologist known for her work on personality and identity over the lifespan.[1] She holds the position of professor emerita of psychology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.[2]

Whitbourne served as president of the Eastern Psychological Association from 2017 to 2018[3] and as president of the American Psychological Association, Division 20, Adult Development and Aging from 1995 to 1996.[4]

She received an APA Presidential Citation in 2011[5] and was awarded the Distinguished Membership Award from Psi Chi, The International Honors Society in Psychology in 2018.[6]

Biography

Whitbourne was born on December 16, 1948, in Buffalo, New York. She received her bachelor's degree in psychology at the University at Buffalo in 1970 and her Ph.D in clinical/developmental psychology at Columbia University in 1974.[2] She subsequently finished a clinical psychology postdoctoral re-specialization program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.[7]

Whitbourne was an Assistant Professor at the State University of New York at Geneseo from 1973 to 1975. She was on the faculty of the University of Rochester from 1976 to 1984, before moving to the University of Massachusetts Amherst. At Rochester, Whitbourne was involved in conducting the Rochester Adult Longitudinal Study––a 50-year, 4-cohort, 1200 participant, 5-wave sequential study of Eriksonian psychosocial development in adulthood.[8][9][10]

Whitbourne has served as a columnist and/or consultant for multiple popular media outlets, including HuffPost,[11] Psychology Today,[12] Reason,[13] CapRadio,[14] Cosmopolitan,[15] Today's Parent,[16] and more.

Research

Whitbourne's research program has examined a variety of issues related to people's experiences of identity over the lifespan. Topics include identity and self-consciousness in middle and later adulthood[17] the connection between national, ethnic, and personal identity in a multiethnic sample of young adults,[18] and the theoretical and methodological challenges associated with studying identity processing in adulthood.[19] Whitbourne and her colleagues have conducted research to evaluate the theory that older people experience physical, psychological, and social role changes that threaten their sense of self and ability to live happily, as well as being bombarded with negative ageist stereotypes.[20] She has used a variety of methodologies to examine ageism in society, including a study of ageist stereotypes in undergraduate psychology textbooks.[21]

Books

  • Cavanaugh, J.C. & Whitbourne, S.K. (1999). Gerontology: An interdisciplinary perspective. Oxford University Press.
  • Halgin, R.P. & Whitbourne, S.K. (2000). Abnormal psychology: Clinical perspectives on psychological disorders (3rd Ed.). McGraw-Hill.
  • Whitbourne, S. K. (1985). The aging body: Physiological changes and psychological consequences. Springer-Verlag.
  • Whitbourne, S. K. (1986). The me I know: A study of adult identity. Springer-Verlag.
  • Whitbourne, S.K. (2008). Adult development and aging: Biopsychosocial perspectives (3rd Ed.). Wiley.
  • Whitbourne, S. K. (2010). The search for fulfillment. Ballantine Books.
  • Whitbourne, S. K. & Ebmeyer, J. B. (1990). Identity and intimacy in marriage: A study of couples. Springer-Verlag.
  • Whitbourne, S.K. & Willis, S.L. (2006). The baby boomers grow up: Contemporary perspectives on midlife. Erlbaum.
  • Whitbourne, S.K. & Cavanaugh, J.C. (2003). Integrating aging topics into psychology: A practical guide for teaching undergraduates. American Psychological Association.

Representative publications

  • Rodriguez, L., Schwartz, S. J., & Whitbourne, S. K. (2010). American identity revisited: The relation between national, ethnic, and personal identity in a multiethnic sample of emerging adults. Journal of Adolescent Research, 25(2), 324–349.
  • Sneed, J. R., & Whitbourne, S. K. (2003). Identity processing and self-consciousness in middle and later adulthood. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 58(6), P313-P319.
  • Sneed, J. R., & Whitbourne, S. K. (2005). Models of the aging self. Journal of Social Issues, 61(2), 375–388.
  • Whitbourne, S. K., & Hulicka, I. M. (1990). Ageism in undergraduate psychology texts. American Psychologist, 45(10), 1127–1136.
  • Whitbourne, S. K., Sneed, J. R., & Skultety, K. M. (2002). Identity processes in adulthood: Theoretical and methodological challenges. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research, 2(1), 29–45.

References

  1. ^ Zaraysky, Susanna. "Why food memories are so powerful". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  2. ^ a b "Susan Whitbourne | Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences | UMass Amherst". www.pbs.umass.edu. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  3. ^ "Past Presidents | Eastern Psychological Association". www.easternpsychological.org. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  4. ^ "APA Division 20: Past and future perspectives" (PDF).
  5. ^ Whitbourne, Susan Krauss; PhD (2016-12-05). "It's Hard to Imagine a World Without Psychology". Psych Learning Curve. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  6. ^ "Psi Chi Distinguished Members—Who Happen to Be Women!".
  7. ^ "Susan Krauss Whitbourne Ph.D. | Psychology Today". www.psychologytoday.com. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  8. ^ Lodi-Smith, Jennifer; Baranski, Erica; Mitchell, Lauren (2019-03-07). "Rochester Adult Longitudinal Study". doi:10.17605/OSF.IO/YA4PH. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. ^ Whitbourne, Susan Krauss; Sneed, Joel R.; Sayer, Aline (2009). "Psychosocial development from college through midlife: A 34-year sequential study". Developmental Psychology. 45 (5): 1328–1340. doi:10.1037/a0016550. ISSN 1939-0599. PMID 19702395.
  10. ^ Sneed, Joel R.; Whitbourne, Susan Krauss; Schwartz, Seth J.; Huang, Shi (2012). "The relationship between identity, intimacy, and midlife well-being: Findings from the Rochester Adult Longitudinal Study". Psychology and Aging. 27 (2): 318–323. doi:10.1037/a0026378. ISSN 1939-1498. PMID 22201333.
  11. ^ "Susan Krauss Whitbourne | HuffPost". www.huffpost.com. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  12. ^ "Susan Krauss Whitbourne Ph.D. | Psychology Today". www.psychologytoday.com. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  13. ^ Tuccille, J. D. (2022-02-03). "Some People Love a State of Crisis". Reason.com. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  14. ^ Aubrey, Allison. "Vacation Days Piling Up? Here's How To Get The Most Out Of A Short Vacation". www.capradio.org. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  15. ^ Pugachevsky, Julia (2018-06-20). "I Can't Stop Checking My Ex's Instagram". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  16. ^ Thompson, Kristen (2021-06-18). "Lying down with your kids until they fall asleep is not a bad habit". Today's Parent. Retrieved 2022-12-01.
  17. ^ Sneed, J. R.; Whitbourne, S. K. (2003-11-01). "Identity Processing and Self-Consciousness in Middle and Later Adulthood". The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 58 (6): P313–P319. doi:10.1093/geronb/58.6.P313. ISSN 1079-5014. PMID 14614115.
  18. ^ Rodriguez, Liliana; Schwartz, Seth J.; Krauss Whitbourne, Susan (2010). "American Identity Revisited: The Relation Between National, Ethnic, and Personal Identity in a Multiethnic Sample of Emerging Adults". Journal of Adolescent Research. 25 (2): 324–349. doi:10.1177/0743558409359055. ISSN 0743-5584. S2CID 145522966.
  19. ^ Whitbourne, Susan Krauss; Sneed, Joel R.; Skultety, Karyn M. (2002-01-02). "Identity Processes in Adulthood: Theoretical and Methodological Challenges". Identity. 2 (1): 29–45. doi:10.1207/S1532706XID0201_03. ISSN 1528-3488. S2CID 144596354.
  20. ^ Sneed, Joel R.; Whitbourne, Susan Krauss (2005). "Models of the Aging Self". Journal of Social Issues. 61 (2): 375–388. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.2005.00411.x. ISSN 0022-4537.
  21. ^ Whitbourne, Susan K.; Hulicka, Irene M. (1990). "Ageism in undergraduate psychology texts". American Psychologist. 45 (10): 1127–1136. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.45.10.1127. ISSN 1935-990X. PMID 2252230.