Yvonne Victoria Wells, PhD
Associate Professor
Coordinator of Undergraduate Advising
Department of Psychology
Phone: 617-573-8515
Fax: 617-367-2924
Email: ywells@suffolk.edu
Office: Donahue Building, Rm. 612
Education
- PhD, Clark University
- MA, Clark University
- BA, Indiana University
APA Minority Fellow
Specialty Areas
Social and developmental psychology with a special emphasis on issues in multiculturalism and cultural competence in Psychology; ethnic identity development; health-related behavior; religious conflict and conflict resolution; body image
My interests lead me in a couple of directions. One is in the direction of critical writing about the current philosophical place of the study of race, multicultural issues and diversity in Psychology. The other is in the direction of research about how the social world influences health related behavior such as that which supports health versus obesity and access versus lack of access to mental health counseling.
Where race is more widely understood as a social construct, and not a biological reality, the African-American child may be healthier and more educationally successful when experiencing a firm historical grounding in one well-defined ethnic identity. Yet this child may be at odds with a more Postmodern and flexible view of race. Minority child-rearing that is ethnically grounded may clashes interestingly with ideas of movement toward “racelessness”, equity or merit for reward, and cultural definitions that have become less based in history and more influenced by personal choice. The notion of the value of a strong ethnic identity has been the basis of several lectures and theoretical papers which inquire into the role of culture in development and in the teaching of Psychology. The question of changes in the academic world that lead to “shifting” conversations about race and ethnicity are also areas of critical examination.
A current research lab with my graduate students, research assistants and interested students, graduate and undergraduate is under development for the 2012-2013 academic year. We will be examining the role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation as it pertains to development, intimacy and friendship quality in friendships that are conducted face to face and via social media.
Selected Publications
Wells, Y. & Quinones, T. (2012) A conversation with DeCesare: Towards practical definitions of critical thinking. Pedagogy and the Human Sciences, 1(2) 1-7.
Mizock, L., & Wells, Y. (2010) Sexual health counselor preferences of African American and European American Women: A brief report. Sexuality and Culture, 14, 144-156.
Harkins, D., & Wells, Y. (2009) Critical and discursive teaching in psychology. Pedagogy and the Human Sciences, 1(1), 38-49.
Wells, Y. & Harkins, D. (2009) Teaching the diversity course in conservative times. Pedagogy and the Human Sciences, 1(1), 60-72.
Bybee, J., & Wells, Y. (2006) Body themes in descriptions of possible selves: Diverse perspectives across the life span. Journal of Adult Development, 13,2,
Courses Taught
PSYCH 241 - Social Psychology
PSYCH 333 - Adult Development and Aging
PSYCH 341 - Sociocultural Perspectives on Behavior and Experience
PSYCH 732 - Social Bases of Behavior and Experience
