
Stephen Chen
Associate Professor of Psychology
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Research explores how culture and family processes influence development and mental health across the lifespan.
My research interests lie at the intersection of clinical, cultural, and developmental areas of psychology. The overarching aim of my research is to examine how cultural and family processes influence mental health and development across the lifespan. I explore this question primarily in under-represented, underserved, and at-risk populations.
One line of investigation seeks to identify the mechanisms shaping the development and well-being of Chinese American immigrant families. These studies have focused on the interplay of three constructs - emotion, language, and self-regulation - in the family context.
A related line of investigation expands ethnic-focused conceptualizations of culture to consider the culture of social status. These studies examine children's developing concepts of social status and social mobility and the effects of social status on socioemotional processes.
My research and teaching are both shaped by my previous experience as a K-12 school counselor and administrator in Shanghai, China. At Wellesley College, my courses include Asian American Psychology, Cultural Psychology, and a seminar on Culture and Emotion. My goal in teaching and mentorship is to guide students in connecting fundamental frameworks of cultural and developmental psychology to implications for Asian American well-being.
I am a member of the Association for Psychological Science (APS), the Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA), and the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), where I am involved in the Asian Caucus and the Teaching Committee. I currently serve on the Editoral Boards for Child Development, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, and the Asian American Journal of Psychology.
Education
- B.A., Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- Ph.D., University of California-Berkeley
Current and upcoming courses
Introduction to Psychology
PSYC101
An introduction to some of the major subfields of psychology, such as developmental, personality, clinical, physiological, cognitive, cultural, and social psychology. Students will explore various theoretical perspectives and research methods used by psychologists to study the origins and variations in human behavior.
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Seminar: Culture and Emotion
PSYC346
This seminar examines ways in which cultural factors interact with basic emotional processes. We will integrate theoretical and empirical research from different areas of psychology (e.g., developmental, social, clinical), and will also include readings from other disciplines (e.g., anthropology and applied linguistics). Topics will include culture and emotion regulation, emotion and language, and socialization of emotion in the family.