Faculty Directory

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

Teaching Interests

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. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibab102

Berg, M. B. & Lin L. (2020). Prevalence and Predictors of Early COVID-19 Behavioral Intentions in the United States. Translational Behavioral Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibaa085

Berg, M. B. & Lin L. (2020). How effective are campus-wide smoking bans? A comparison of two small colleges. Journal of American College Health. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1080/07448481.2020.1756829

Berg, M. B. & Lin L. (2019). Occasionally stigmatized: How the frequency and context of use influence perceptions of intermittent smokers. Addiction Research & Theory. http://doi.org/10.1080/16066359.2018.1499897

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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2017.1312417

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. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13557858.2016.1244622

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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/asap.12113

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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00918360801982215

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. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1089/apc.2004.18.635

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. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0146167201278006

* – Wheaton Student