Patrick Ewell graduated from University of Alabama in 2015 with a Ph.D. in experimental psychology and a minor in quantitative methodology. During his time at University of Alabama he was a psychology instructor, graduate researcher with the Online Social Influence Lab and statistics consultant with the Capstone College of Nursing.
Patrick is interested in the psychological intersection between people and new and emerging media. More specifically, he focuses on how new media alters the level of abstraction (the extent to which a perceiver extrapolates additional information direction from a source) and the effect that alteration has on psychological constructs. Patrick conducts research on aggression and morality in videogames, the impact of social media on social behavior and self-regulation, and anything else that sounds fun.
Patrick is an avid videogamer and runner of no particular distance. He is a diehard Baltimore Orioles fan and enjoys playing fantasy sports and various card games…
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Patrick Ewell graduated from University of Alabama in 2015 with a Ph.D. in experimental psychology and a minor in quantitative methodology. During his time at University of Alabama he was a psychology instructor, graduate researcher with the Online Social Influence Lab and statistics consultant with the Capstone College of Nursing.
Patrick is interested in the psychological intersection between people and new and emerging media. More specifically, he focuses on how new media alters the level of abstraction (the extent to which a perceiver extrapolates additional information direction from a source) and the effect that alteration has on psychological constructs. Patrick conducts research on aggression and morality in videogames, the impact of social media on social behavior and self-regulation, and anything else that sounds fun.
Patrick is an avid videogamer and runner of no particular distance. He is a diehard Baltimore Orioles fan and enjoys playing fantasy sports and various card games.
Areas of Expertise
Social psychology, new and emerging media, research design.
Courses Recently Taught
PSYC 100
Introduction to Psychology
PSYC 100
Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes. In this introductory course, we will explore a variety of areas in which psychologists conduct research: the biological foundations of behavior, sensory and perceptual processes, cognition, learning and memory, developmental psychology, personality and social psychology, psychological disorders, and variability in behavior related to culture. This course is only open to first-year and sophomore students. This counts toward the foundations requirement for the major. No prerequisite. Offered every semester.
PSYC 110
General Psychology
PSYC 110
Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes. In this foundation course we will explore a variety of areas in which psychologists conduct research: the biological foundations of behavior, sensory and perceptual processes, cognition, learning and memory, developmental psychology, personality and social psychology, psychological disorders and variability in behavior related to culture. Students who have completed PSYC 100 cannot take this course. This counts toward the foundations requirement for the major. Prerequisite: junior standing. Generally offered every spring.
PSYC 150
Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology
PSYC 150
In this course students will learn the basics of research in psychology. Students will participate in research projects conducted across different areas of psychology, which might involve observation and interviewing, psychological tests and measures, physiological measures, and computerized tasks. Students will learn about issues of reliability and validity in psychological research, as well as ethical issues associated with psychological research. Students will learn techniques for descriptive statistical analysis of their data, and they will communicate their research findings both orally and in writing, using the writing style of the American Psychological Association. This course is designed for first-year and sophomore students planning to major in psychology. Prerequisite: PSYC 100 or 110 or AP score of 5. Typically offered every semester.
PSYC 250
Research Methods in Psychology
PSYC 250
In this course students will learn the basics of research in psychology. Students will participate in research projects conducted across different areas of psychology, which might involve observation and interviewing, psychological tests and measures, physiological measures and computerized tasks. Students will learn about issues of reliability and validity in psychological research, as well as ethical issues associated with psychological research. Students will further develop techniques for descriptive statistical analysis of their data, and they will communicate their research findings both orally and in writing, using the writing style of the American Psychological Association. This course is designed for sophomore students planning to major in psychology. This counts toward the foundations requirement for the major. Prerequisite: PSYC 100 or 110 or AP score of 5 and PSYC 200. Generally offered every semester.
PSYC 321
Abnormal Psychology
PSYC 321
This course provides students with an overview of the classification, causes, pathways, and treatment of adult mental disorders, including anxiety, mood disorders and personality disorders. Included will be discussion of critical issues and controversies in this field, such as the definition of abnormality, as well as an extended emphasis on cross-cultural issues in psychopathology. This counts toward the clinical issues and health requirement for the major. Prerequisite: PSYC 100 or 110 or AP score of 5. Generally offered every year.
PSYC 325
Social Psychology
PSYC 325
Social psychology is the systematic study of social behavior. In general, it examines how we are affected by our social environment: how we perceive and interpret the behavior of others and the social situation, how we respond to others and they to us, and the nature of social relationships. Application of social psychological theory and methodology is encouraged through participation in small-scale laboratory or field observational studies. This counts toward the sociocultural perspectives requirement for the major. Prerequisite: PSYC 100 or 110 or AP score of 5. Generally offered every year.
PSYC 333
Media Psychology
PSYC 333
An increasing and significant portion of human behavior and interaction either takes place through a mediated channel (a channel other than face-to-face) or involves an interaction with a mediated technology. Despite this, psychology has been slow to investigate the effects of mediated environments on previously established psychological constructs. This course will attempt to provide a general understanding of the effects of media in two ways. First, we will investigate what it means for an interaction to be mediated, the type of interactions that can be mediated and the nuance of various types of channels. Second, we will attempt to understand the effect of the technology that mediates our interactions on various aspects of human behavior. Topically, we will cover numerous channels (movies, television, video games, virtual reality,the internet, social network sites, smartphones) and psychological concepts (self-presentation, aggression, addiction, belonging, impression formation, child development, social influence, self-disclosure etc.). This counts toward the person and society requirement for the major. Prerequisite: PSYC 250. Generally offered every year.
PSYC 391
ST: Media Psychology
PSYC 391
PSYC 423
Advanced Research Methods in Social Psychology
PSYC 423
Social psychology attempts to understand the ways in which our thoughts and behavior are affected by others. This course will examine the principles, methods and problems of research in social psychology. Using a variety of formats ranging from lectures to discussion of research to class and field demonstrations, students will explore how research ideas are generated, critical evaluation of relevant research literatures, research design and methodology, data collection procedures using both laboratory and naturalistic settings, statistical analyses and ways of presenting research consistent with journal publication. This counts toward the advanced research requirement for the major. Prerequisite: PSYC 250 and completion of or current enrollment in PSYC 325. Offered occasionally.
PSYC 425
Advanced Research Methods to Study Gender
PSYC 425
Science is a valuable tool for understanding the world, but when dealing with the issue of gender, it has often been applied in flawed ways. A feminist critique of science has helped us understand both the limits and the possibilities of examining issues related to gender from a scientific perspective. In this course we will consider the application of feminist theories and methods to understanding psychological issues related to gender. Students will critically analyze various research articles, conduct two class research projects and prepare written reports of the results, and develop their own proposal for a piece of independent psychological research related to gender. This counts toward the advanced research requirement for the major. Prerequisite: PSYC 250 and one of the following: PSYC 323, 325, 326, 346 and WGS 111. Offered occasionally.
PSYC 475
Psychology Senior Seminar
PSYC 475
This is a required course for senior psychology majors. Each section will have a different topic, but in every seminar students will read and discuss psychological literature, write and discuss critiques of research articles, develop a review paper on a topic in psychology develop a research proposal on a topic in psychology and make a formal oral presentation to the class. This counts toward the senior capstone requirement for the major. Prerequisite: senior standing and psychology major. Offered every fall.