Psychology
Todd Williams
 Assistant ProfessorB.A., University of Alberta, Canada Ph.D. (2009), University of Alberta, Canada
office: 2111 Au Sable Hall
phone: (616) 331-8976 email: willitod@gvsu.edu
Spring/Summer Office Hours
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Specialization
Experimental Social Psychology
Courses Taught
PSY 101 - Introductory Psychology
PSY 300 - Research Methods in Psychology
PSY 400 - Advanced Research in Psychology
Current Research Interests
My research interests are focused on examining the diverse existential issues of the human condition. I am fascinated by how we, as social animals, construct a shared system of meaning while maintaining a private sense of self. Although I do not deny the utility of micro-level theory in psychological research, I feel that there is much to be gained through the use of a more holistic approach to understanding psychological phenomenon. Terror management theory (Solomon, Greenberg, & Pyszczynski, 1991) has provided me with a broad and integrative framework from which to explore my primary research interests. My interests encompass three topic areas: 1) the interplay between epistemic needs and terror management processes; 2) the advancement of a multifaceted conceptualization of self-esteem; and 3) the theoretical and applied consequences of extrinsic contingency focus.
Current Research Projects
Current Research Projects
- Examining how existential anxiety impacts our ability to process novel information and our desire to seek/avoid novelty in a consumer context
- Assessing the impact of idealized body images in advertising media on eating, exercise, and shopping behavior
- Exploring the role of extrinsic contingency focus in social behavior
Representative Publications
Williams, T. J., Schimel, J., Hayes, J. & Martens, A. (2010). The moderating role of extrinsic contingency focus on reactions to threat. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40, 300-320.
Hayes, J., Schimel, J., & Williams, T. J. (2008). Fighting death with death: The buffering effects of learning that worldview violators have died. Psychological Science. 19, 501–507.
Hayes, J., Schimel, J., Faucher, E. H., & Williams, T. J. (2008). Evidence for the death thought accessibility hypothesis II: Threatening self-esteem increases the accessibility of death thoughts. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 44, 600-613.
Strachan, E., Schimel, J., Arndt, J., Williams, T. Solomon, S., Pyszczynski, T., & Greenberg, J., (2007). Terror Mismanagement: Mortality salience exacerbates phobic and compulsive behaviors. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33, 1137-1151.
Schimel, J., Hayes, J., Williams, T. J. & Jahrig, J. (2007). Is death really the worm at the core? Converging evidence that worldview threat increases death-thought accessibility. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 789-803.
Schimel, J., Wohl, M. J. A. & Williams, T. J. (2006). Terror management and trait empathy: Evidence that mortality salience promotes reactions of forgiveness among people with empathic (vs. non-empathic) worldviews. Motivation and Emotion, 30, 217-227.
Williams, T. J., Schimel J., & Gillespie, M. (2003). The Security of Obedience: Evidence that mortality salience promotes conformity to authority among individuals raised by authoritarian parents. In J. Gifford & G. Zezulka-Mailloux. Eds. Culture and the State: Alternative Interventions, Vol. 4. Edmonton, AB: University of Alberta CRC Studio.
Hayes, J., Schimel, J., Faucher, E. H., & Williams, T. J. (2008). Evidence for the death thought accessibility hypothesis II: Threatening self-esteem increases the accessibility of death thoughts. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 44, 600-613.
Strachan, E., Schimel, J., Arndt, J., Williams, T. Solomon, S., Pyszczynski, T., & Greenberg, J., (2007). Terror Mismanagement: Mortality salience exacerbates phobic and compulsive behaviors. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33, 1137-1151.
Schimel, J., Hayes, J., Williams, T. J. & Jahrig, J. (2007). Is death really the worm at the core? Converging evidence that worldview threat increases death-thought accessibility. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 789-803.
Schimel, J., Wohl, M. J. A. & Williams, T. J. (2006). Terror management and trait empathy: Evidence that mortality salience promotes reactions of forgiveness among people with empathic (vs. non-empathic) worldviews. Motivation and Emotion, 30, 217-227.
Williams, T. J., Schimel J., & Gillespie, M. (2003). The Security of Obedience: Evidence that mortality salience promotes conformity to authority among individuals raised by authoritarian parents. In J. Gifford & G. Zezulka-Mailloux. Eds. Culture and the State: Alternative Interventions, Vol. 4. Edmonton, AB: University of Alberta CRC Studio.
Page last modified May 16, 2013
