Morris Okun
Courtesy Affiliate, Retired Faculty or Staff
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USE 144 TEMPE, AZ 85287-1104
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Long Bio
Professor, Department of Psychology (Developmental), College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Education
Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University, 1975
Websites
Dr. Okun's Research Lab Website
PGS 427 Psychology of Aging Syllabus Spring 2011:
Research Interests
Research Interests
My research interests involve applications of social psychological theories and concepts to several domains including volunteering, performance and persistence in college, and health and well-being.
Research projects with current and former graduate students.
- Barbara Huff Socio-emotional classroom climate and institutional commitment among freshmen.
- John Pugliese The influence of parental versus peer social control on exercise behavior.
- Kathryn Johnson Beliefs about God and secular Volunteering.
- Julia Steinberg Stereotype threat, Math identity and test performance of woman persisting in math-related fields.
Publications
- *Finan, P., Okun, M. A., Kruszewski, D., Davis, M., Zautra, A., & Tennen, H. The interplay of positive and negative interpersonal events in the prediction of daily negative affect and fatigue for rheumatoid arthritis patients. Health Psychology (2010).
- Davis, M. C., Okun, M. A., Kruszewski, D., Zautra, A. J., & Tennen, H. Sex differences in the relations of positive and negative daily events and fatigue in adults with rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Pain (2010).
- Johnson, K. A., Okun, M. A., Benallie, M., & Pennak, S. American Indian students’ difficulties in Introduction to Psychology. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education (2010).
- Okun, M. A., August, K. J., Rook, K. S., & Newsom, J. T. Does volunteering moderate the relation between functional limitations and mortality?. Social Science & Medicine (2010).
- Morris Okun, Paul Karoly, Jessi Martin, Annja Benshoff. Distinguishing between exogenous and endogenous intent-to-transfer students. Journal of College Student Retention: Theory, Research, and Practice (2009).
- Okun, M. A., *Goegan, B., & *Mitric, N. (2009). Quality of alternatives, institutional preference, and institutional commitment among first-year college students. Educational Psychology (2009).
- Okun, M. A., Levy, R., Karoly, P., & Ruehlman, L. S. Dispositional happiness and college students GPA: Unpacking a null relation. Journal of Research in Personality (2009).
- *Huff, B. P., Okun, M. A., *Kemper, J., & *Gruber, E. Support of basic psychological needs in classrooms: Relationship to first-year college persistence. American Educational Research Association (2009).
- *Johnson, K. A., Okun, M. A., & Pennak, S. Archival predictors of American Indian Students' Psychology 101 Grades. Association for Psychological Science (2009).
- Okun, M. A., August, K. Rook, K. S., & Newsome, J. T. Hours volunteered as a moderator of the relation between functional limitations and mortality among older adults. Association of Psychological Science (2009).
- Paul Karoly, Morris Okun, L Ruehlman, J Pugliese. The impact of goal cognition and pain severity on disability and depression in adults with chronic pain: An examination of direct paths and mediated effects via pain-induced fear. Cognitive Therapy and Research (2008).
- Rafer Lutz, Paul Karoly, Morris Okun. The why and the how of goal pursuit: Self-determination, goal process cognition, and particiation in physical exercise. Psychology of Sport and Exercise (2008).
- Okun, Morris A, Reich, John. Control. Encylopedia on health and aging (2007).
- Morris Okun, B Huff, K August, K Rook. The effects of social control on affect and health behavior in dating relationships. Basic and Applied Social Psychology (2007).
- Morris Okun, J Pugliese, K Rook. Unpacking the relation between extraversion and volunteering in later life. Personality and Individual Differences (2007).
- Morris Okun, P Karoly. Perceived goal ownership, regulatory goal cognition, and health behavior change. American Journal of Health Behavior (2007).
- Morris Okun, C Fairholme, P Karoly, L Ruehlman, C Newton. Academic goals, goal process cognition, and exam performance among college students. Learning and Individual Differences (2006).
- Morris Okun, J Dittenburner, B Huff. Perceived changes in well-being: The role of chronological age, target age, and type of measure. International Journal of Aging & Human Development (2006).
- Morris Okun, J Michel. Sense of community and being a volunteer among the young-old. Journal of Applied Gerontology (2006).
- G Carlo, Morris Okun, G Knight, M de Guzman. The interplay of traits and motives on volunteering: Agreeableness, extraversion, and prosocial value motivation. Personality and Individual Differences (2005).
- Paul Karoly, Linda Ruehlman, Morris Okun, Rafer Lutz, Craig Newton, Chris Fairholme. Perceived self-regulation of exercise goals and interfering goals among regular and irregular exercisers: A life space analysis. Psychology of Sport and Exercise (2005).
- J Weiss, Morris Okun, N Quay. Predicting bicycle helmet stage-of-change among middle school, high school, and college cyclists from demographic, cognitive, and motivational variables. The Journal of Pediatrics (2004).
- Morris Okun, A Schultz. Age and motives for volunteering: A test of hypotheses derived from socioemotional selectivity theory. Psychology and Aging (2003).
- Morris Okun, C Lockwood. Does level of assessment moderate the relation between social support and social negativity?: A meta-analysis. Basic and Applied Social Psychology (2003).
- Morris Okun, L Ruehlman, P Karoly, R Lutz, C Fairholme, R Schuab. Social support and social norms: Do both contribute to predicting leisure-time exercise?. American Journal of Health Behavior (2003).
- Khalil, S L, Okun, Morris A. Subjective well-being. Encyclopedia of aging (2002).
- Barry Leshowitz, K DiCerbo, Morris Okun. Effects of Instruction in Methodological Reasoning on Information Evaluation. Teaching of Psychology (2002).
- L Allison, Morris Okun, K Dutridge. Assessing volunteer motives: A comparison of an open-ended probe and Likert rating scales. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology (2002).
- Morris Okun, E Sloane. Application of planned behavior theory to predicting volunteer enrollment by college students at a campus-based program. Social Behavior and Personality (2002).
- Morris Okun, P Karoly, R Lutz. Clarifying the contribution of subjectivenorm to predicting leisure time exercise. American Journal of Health Behavior (2002).
- Okun, Morris A. Subjective well-being. Encyclopedia of aging (2001).
- Morris Okun, G Rice. The effects of personal relevance of topic and information type on older adults= accurate recall of written medical passages about osteoarthritis. Journal of Aging and Health (2001).
- Morris Okun, J Finch, W Kasje. Does age moderate the relation between social negativity and psychological distress?: A meta-analytic investigation. Journal of Clinical Geropsychology (2000).
- Morris Okun, S Shepard, N Eisenberg. The relations of emotionality and regulation to dispositional empathy-related responding among volunteers-in-training. Personality and Individual Differences (2000).
- John Pugliese and Morris Okun. Moderated mediation of exercise-related social control: Parents versus peers. Paper presented as part of an APA symposium on Health-Related Social Control: Models, Measures, and Targets (0).
- Morris A. Okun and Kristin. August (symposium organizers). Health-Related Social Control: Models, Measures, and Targets. American Psychological Association (0).
Research Activity
- Johnson,Kathryn Ann*, Cohen,Adam, Enders,Craig Kyle, Okun,Morris A. Psychological Needs Individual Differences and Representations of God. TEMPLETON (JOHN) FDN(8/15/2014 - 8/14/2017).
- Johnson,Kathryn Ann*, Cohen,Adam, Okun,Morris A. Does Knowledge of Science and World Religions Lead to Representations of God as Transcendent (ASUF 30006287). ASU FDN(8/15/2014 - 2/14/2017).
- Cohen,Adam*, Okun,Morris A. Promoting Prosociality Through the Cultivation of a Benevolent God-Concept. TEMPLETON (JOHN) FDN(9/1/2011 - 5/31/2014).
- Karoly,Paul*, Enders,Craig Kyle, Okun,Morris A. Chronic Pain and the Enterprise of Living: Self-regulatory and Goal Mechanisms. HHS-NIH-NINR(7/8/2009 - 12/31/2011).
- Okun,Morris A*, Knopf,Richard C, Waldron,Vincent R. Enhancing Resilience in Volunteers and Their Older Adult Clients. ST LUKES HEALTH INITIATIVES(1/1/2006 - 12/31/2006).
- Waldron,Vincent R*, Kleemann,Gary Lewis, Knopf,Richard C, Okun,Morris A. Proposal for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at ASU. The Bernard Osher Foundation(4/1/2005 - 8/31/2006).
- Okun,Morris A*. BICYCLE SAFETY: ATTITUDE AND KNOWLEDGE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS. PHX. CHILDREN'S HOSP(8/15/2001 - 6/30/2003).
- Okun,Morris A*. HEALTH AND AGING IN AZ. AZ DEPT OF HEALTH SERVICES(6/5/1992 - 6/30/1992).
- Okun,Morris A*. SUN CITIES SURVEY. CTR HEALTHY AGING STUDIES(5/1/1991 - 3/31/1992).
- Okun,Morris A*. AGE AND UNINTENDED TURNOVER. MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGE(6/13/1988 - 6/30/1989).
Presentations
- Gitelson, R, Pugliese, J, Okun, Morris. Cohort Differences in Onset of Sports Participation across the Life Span. Gerontological Society of American (Nov 2006).
- Okun, Morris. Unpacking the relation between extraversion and volunteering by older adults: A multivariate mediational model. Real World Helping and Social Action (Jun 2006).
Service
- Psi Chi, faculty advisor (2010 - Present)
- Department Colloquia, Coordinator (2010 - Present)
- Department newsletter, Editor (2010 - Present)
- Lecture/Instructor Evaluation Committee, Evaluate lecturers and instructors (2009 - Present)
- Committee for the Responsible Conduct in Research Planning, Member (2009 - Present)
- Work Study Hire for Web-Site Development, Committee member (2009 - Present)
- Associate Chair, Assist the Department Chair (2008 - Present)
- Associate Chair, Assist the Department Chair (2008 - Present)
- Department of Psychology, Associate Chair (2008 - Present)
- Undergraduate Awards, Member (2007 - Present)
- Planning Committee, Member (2004 - Present)
- Planning Committee, Member (2004 - Present)
- Planning Committee, Member (2004 - Present)
- Tenure review of department faculty member, Member (2004 - Present)
- Tenure review of department faculty member, Member (2004 - Present)
- Tenure review of department faculty member, Member (2004 - Present)
- Undergraduate Studies, Director (2004 - Present)
- third year review of department faculty member, Member (2004 - Present)
- third year review of department faculty member, Member (2004 - Present)
- International Journal of Aging and Human Development, Editorial Board Member (2000 - Present)
- International Journal of Aging and Human Development, Editorial (2000 - Present)
- International Journal of Aging and Human Development, Editorial Board (2000 - Present)
- review of associate professor going up for promotion to full professor, Member (2010 - 2010)
- Final Revisions of Faculty Evaluation Guidelines, Chair (2010 - 2010)
- Revision of Department Guidelines for Research Participation in PGS 101, Chair (2010 - 2010)
- Brain Fair, Faculty participant (2010 - 2010)
- Academic Program Report, Liason to external visitors (2010 - 2010)
- Department Displaced Faculty Committee, Member (2010 - 2010)
- University Responsible Conduct of Research Committee, Faculty advisor (2009 - 2009)
- Interfaith Community Services, Workshop Facilitator (2009 - 2009)
- Department Self-Study Committee, Member (2007 - 2009)
- Sabbatical Review Committee, Member (2003 - 2009)
- Interfaith Community Care, Workshop Presentor (2008 - 2008)
- Department Self-Study Committee, Member (2007 - 2008)
- Sub-Committee on P&T, Member (2007 - 2007)
- St. Lukes Health Initiative, Committee Chair (Resources and Resilience) (2006 - 2007)
- Search for Lecturers, Committee member (2004 - 2007)
- Gerontology Program, Member of advisory committee (2006 - 2007)
- Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure, Member (2006 - 2007)
- Task Force on University Retention, Conduct research to help the Task Force identify strategies for enhancing the retention rate (2005 - 2006)
- Search for Director of Academic Articulation, Committee member (2004 - 2005)
- Awards Committee, Member (2003 - 2004)
- Appeal by Department faculty member of faculty evaluation ratings, Chair (2004)
- Executive Committee, Member (2004)
- Fourth year review of department faculty member, Chair (2004)
- Dean's Circle Award, Co-Chair (2004 - 2004)
- Dean's Circle Award, Committee member (2004 - 2004)
- Search for Behavioral Neuroscience faculty member, Committee member (2003 - 2004)
- Graduate Studies, Acting Director (2003)
- President's Community Enrichment Program, Presenter (2003)
- Space Committee, Member (2003)
- CLAS, College Senator (1999 - 2000)
- Member Committee on Committees, Faculty Senate (1999 - 2000)