Professor of Psychology
Coordinator, Public Health Program
Education
Ph.D., M.S., University of Massachusetts, Amherst
B.S., Tufts University
About
Appointments
In-person appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis. Online appointments require signing up in advance. Appointment slots are 15 minutes long, but students requiring more time are encouraged to sign up for multiple slots. To sign up for an appointment, visit my calendar page.
Professional interests
Health psychology, public health, applied social psychology, and the use of surveys and other quantitative research methods.
Other interests
I enjoy crossword puzzles, classic arcade games and pinball, green tea, and staring into space while listening to music in my office.
Selected Publications
Berg, M. B. & Lin L. (2021). Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine intentions in the United States: The role of attitudes, perceived barriers, subjective norms, and trust in the approval process. Translational Behavioral Medicine.
Berg, M. B. & Lin L. (2020). Prevalence and Predictors of Early COVID-19 Behavioral Intentions in the United States. Translational Behavioral Medicine.
Berg, M. B. & Lin L. (2020). How effective are campus-wide smoking bans? A comparison of two small colleges. Journal of American College Health.
Berg, M. B. & Lin L. (2019). Occasionally stigmatized: How the frequency and context of use influence perceptions of intermittent smokers. Addiction Research & Theory.
Berg, M. B., Lin L., *White M., & Barry, J. A. (2017). Attitudinal and behavioral differences between cigarette users who do and do not identify themselves as “smokers.” Journal of American College Health, 1-8.
Berg, M. B. & *Anshika, A. (2016). Health Locus of Control as Manifested in Individuals Attending a State-Run Medical Dispensary in Northern, India. Ethnicity and Health 22(2),145-155.
Berg, M. B., Lin, L., *Hollar, S., *Walker, S., & *Erickson, L. (2016). The relationship between weight-based prejudice and attitudes towards obesity-reducing public policies. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy.
Berg, M. B., Mimiaga, M. J., Grasso, C., Boswell, S., Mayer, K.H., Safren, S. A. (2005). Nonadherence to medical appointments is associated with increased plasma HIV RNA and decreased CD4 cell counts in a community-based HIV primary care clinic. AIDS Care, 17, 902-907.
Berg, M. B., Mimiaga, M. J., & Safren, S. A. (2004). Mental health concerns of HIV-infected gay and bisexual men seeking mental health services: an observational study. AIDS Patient Care and STDs, 18, 635-643.
Berg, M. B., Janoff-Bulman, R., & Cotter, J. (2001). Perceiving value in obligations and goals: Wanting to do what should be done. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 982-995.
* – Wheaton Student
Teaching Interests
First Year Experience, Health Psychology, Social Psychology, Quantitative Research Methods, the Lab in Social Psychology, and Senior Seminar
Research Interests
My scholarly pursuits apply social psychological theory (e.g., issues of identity, prejudice, and motivation) to public health outcomes, with a particular focus on social inequality and traditionally underserved populations. This approach, commonly referred to as the biopsychosocial approach to health, focuses on the interaction between the body, the mind, and social forces in an interdisciplinary fashion. Several courses that I teach closely reflect this perspective including Health Psychology, Social Psychology, Quantitative Research Methods, and the Lab in Social Psychology. Likewise, my scholarship has focused on interdisciplinary health topics such as:
- Psychosocial predictors of COVID-19 prevention behavior and vaccine acceptance
- Weight-based prejudice, body dissatisfaction, & public health policy attitudes
- Issues of identity in tobacco attitudes and behavior
- Health locus of control beliefs in the working poor of India
- Social factors influencing HIV primary care outcomes in the gay community
Department(s)
Program(s)
Office
Diana Davis Spencer Discovery Center 3311
Hours
Mon. & Wed. 4:00-5:00 p.m. (online)
Tues. 3:30-4:30 p.m. (in person)
By appointment