Melissa Marcotte earned her PhD in Behavioral Science/Psychology at the University of Rhode Island in 2017. While her focus is primarily in social psychology, she considers herself an interdisciplinary psychologist, doing research and teaching through the lenses of critical race and gender theories and incorporating her cognitive, developmental and physiological psych training. She has taught a variety of introductory courses in psychology and statistics, as well as upper-level courses such as Social Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Applied Research in Psychology and Psychology of Social Injustice at RISD. As a Kingian (Martin Luther King, Jr.) Nonviolence Trainer and a secular Buddhist, she is motivated by her desire to contribute to peace and conflict resolution through social justice and equality both inside and outside of the classroom and academia. When she has free time, she enjoys riding her motorcycle, going on retreats and spending time with her family, especially her brother, who plays on the Providence Kickball League with her.
Academic areas of interest
Marcotte’s primary research focus has been understanding precursors to reactive aggression, particularly shame, and perceptions of violence through an interdisciplinary lens, including social, cognitive and developmental psychology; multiculturalism; and neuroscience. She believes that “conflict can easily be extinguished with a dose of humility on both sides, because through believing that all beings, like ourselves, seek happiness and comfort, righteousness and dignity, and love and belonging, we can see ourselves in others. Empathy is the key to forgiveness. We are all worthy of it.”
Specializations include:
Social/Cognitive Psychology, social cognition, interpersonal relations, social development
Peace and conflict resolution, Kingian nonviolence methods
Effective pedagogical methods in psychology
Multicultural psychology, cultural competency, multicultural research methods
Industrial-Organizational Psychology application and measures
Program evaluation
Statistical analyses (SPSS, R, Excel) and research design methods (both quantitative and qualitative)
Information technology, software and technology troubleshooting
Courses
Fall 2024 Courses
HPSS S656-01 - INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
LevelUndergraduate
UnitHistory, Philosophy, and the Social Sciences
Subject History, Philosophy and the Social Sciences
Period Fall 2024
Credits 3
FormatLecture
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
HPSS S656-01
INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
LevelUndergraduate
UnitHistory, Philosophy, and the Social Sciences
Subject History, Philosophy and the Social Sciences
PeriodFall 2024
Credits3
FormatLecture
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2024-09-04 to 2024-12-11
Times: F | 1:10 PM - 4:10 PMInstructor(s): Melissa MarcotteLocation(s): College Building, Room 412Enrolled / Capacity: 25Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
As the study of behavior and mental processes, psychology allows us to better understand how people think, feel and act. This introductory course provides a broad overview of the major content areas within the field of psychology (e.g., physiological, developmental, social and cognitive psychology) and will introduce you to the psychological theories and research used to understand human behavior. We will cover a wide variety of topics, including how people learn, process and store information, why people possess distinct personalities, how social situations and cultural norms affect our behavior, how we grow and develop throughout our lives, etc. Throughout the course we will critically evaluate the merit of classic psychological theory and research in understanding people's thoughts, feelings and actions in real world situations. This course will provide a broad knowledge base for those interested in taking upper level psychology classes.
Elective
Spring 2025 Courses
HPSS S486-01 - MULTICULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY
LevelUndergraduate
UnitHistory, Philosophy, and the Social Sciences
Subject History, Philosophy and the Social Sciences
Period Spring 2025
Credits 3
FormatLecture
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
HPSS S486-01
MULTICULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY
LevelUndergraduate
UnitHistory, Philosophy, and the Social Sciences
Subject History, Philosophy and the Social Sciences
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits3
FormatLecture
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: F | 1:10 PM - 4:10 PMInstructor(s): Melissa MarcotteLocation(s): College Building, Room 442Enrolled / Capacity: 25Status: Closed
SECTION DESCRIPTION
Multicultural Psychology is more than just understanding and appreciating diversity, it's about the influence that a multicultural world has on individuals and social systems that exist within it. Together we will explore the social constructs of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, and ability through readings, videos, in-class activities, and class discussion. Informed by psychological theory and research, we will examine the impact that these labels have on a person's identity development, societal positioning, and mental and physical health and well-being. By the end of the class, students will be able to explain the advantages and challenges that individuals and societies face as we become more interconnected in a diverse world.
Elective
HPSS S492-01 - PSYCHOLOGY OF DRUG USE
LevelUndergraduate
UnitHistory, Philosophy, and the Social Sciences
Subject History, Philosophy and the Social Sciences
Period Spring 2025
Credits 3
FormatLecture
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
HPSS S492-01
PSYCHOLOGY OF DRUG USE
LevelUndergraduate
UnitHistory, Philosophy, and the Social Sciences
Subject History, Philosophy and the Social Sciences
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits3
FormatLecture
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: F | 9:40 AM - 12:40 PMInstructor(s): Melissa MarcotteLocation(s): College Building, Room 442Enrolled / Capacity: 25Status: Closed
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course explores the psychological, biological, and social factors that relate to drug use, abuse, addiction, and theories of intervention and treatment. Social values and public policy will be used to explain historical and current drug use trends. This course provides a holistic foundation for understanding drug use behavior from a biopsychosocial perspective.
