People
Tiina Ojanen
Associate Professor
CONTACT
Office: PCD 4140
Phone: 813/974-8346
Email
LINKS
BIO
Dr. Ojanen received her Ph.D. at the University of Turku, Finland (2006), and completed her post-doctoral research at the University of Kansas (2007-2008). She specializes on the study of social goals, aggression and other behaviors and social adjustment among peers, using advanced analysis of social-developmental data.
TEACHING
Courses include two advanced undergraduate courses: Developmental Psychology (DEP4053) and Child and Adolescent Social Development (PSY4931). In addition, a graduate level seminar in Social Development is offered in varying semesters.
RESEARCH
Dr. Ojanen’s research focuses on forms and functions of aggression (proactive/bullying, reactive, physical and relational aggression) among peers at school. In a social-motivational framework, she examines goals underlying bullying and other types of aggression, and examines these further in relation to peer acceptance, rejection, and popularity among peers. She also studies self-esteem, narcissism, psychopathic traits, empathy and related constructs, as well as friendship selection and social influence. She has also conducted research on forms of prosocial behaviors and social withdrawal. Her research has implications for understanding the heterogeneity of adolescent social behaviors, underlying goals and associated adjustment among peers at school. This work highlights the need to consider not only social skills, but also motivation in social behavior and interventions of aggression, especially school bullying.
SPECIALTY AREA
CNS (Social-developmental Psychology)