Dr. Outland is accepting PhD students for 2026 admissions.

Dr. Neal Outland came from DePaul University in Chicago where he studied what and how teams are successful in the workplace. His research answers questions concerning the necessary qualities of individual team members and the optimal patterns of interaction for teams to follow for superior performance. He has two main research streams: one in which he explores how teams dynamically interact and perform in complex and dynamic environments such as sports; and another where he uses computer simulated teams as analogies to real human teams in a variety of contexts. 

Dr. Skinner is an associate professor in the psychology department at the University of Georgia. Her research examines how biases are established, maintained, and facilitated through subtle messages present in everyday life. She is particularly interested in how situational cues in our social environments shape our perceptions, attitudes, and biases against other individuals and groups. These cues range from nonverbal signals demonstrated in interpersonal interactions (e.g., warmth and friendliness) to explicit messages that may appear to be positive but are actually ironically negative (heightening intergroup bias). She utilizes correlational and experimental approaches and employs multiple methods (including physiological, behavioral, and self-report measures) to identify the basic cognitive, affective, and perceptual processes that lead to the establishment, maintenance, and activation of attitudes and biases. 

Dr. Skinner will be considering applications for PhD students in the current application cycle (to begin PhD studies in Fall 2026).   

Dr. Skinner is the director of the study abroad in Togo (West Africa) program, where the Psychology of Attitudes, Biases, and Culture is periodically taught during Maymester.

The University of Georgia is located on the ancestral lands of the ᏣᎳᎫᏪᏘᏱ Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee, East), S’atsoyaha (Yuchi), and Mvskoke (Muscogee / Creek) people. Click here to learn more.

Richard Slatcher is the Gail M. Williamson Distinguished Professor in the Behavior and Brain Sciences area of the Department of Psychology at  University of Georgia. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Richmond and his Ph.D. in Social and Personality Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating from UT, he completed a two-year NIMH post-doctoral fellowship in health psychology at UCLA. Prior to coming to UGA, he was on the faculty of the Department of Psychology at Wayne State University for 10 years, where he chaired WSU's RoBUST program.

Understanding the effects of peoples' close relationships on their health and well-being from a social psychological perspective is the central focus of Slatcher's research and teaching. His research has two main facets: basic research on close relationship processes--particularly intimacy processes of self-disclosure and partner responsiveness--and investigations of the links among close relationships, biological processes and physical health. An example of this research is the lab's current projects on the impact of people's smartphone use and social media engagement on their ability (or inability) to be responsive in their face-to-face relationships.  

Slatcher is the recipient of both the Caryl Rusbult Close Relationships Early Career Award from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) and the award for Outstanding Contributions to Health Psychology by an Early Career Professional from the Society for Health Psychology (APA Division 38).