Rate My Professor chris wolsko

Christopher Wolsko is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Program Coordinator at Oregon State University-Cascades in the School of Psychological Science, College of Liberal Arts. He holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Social Psychology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Wolsko's research spans ecopsychology, self, identity, and social comparison processes, stereotyping, prejudice, and intergroup relations, as well as the sociocultural construction of mental and behavioral health. Grounded in early work on dominant group ideologies and interethnic relations, his investigations emphasize culturally rooted wellness, arguing against one-size-fits-all health promotion approaches that marginalize diverse voices. Current collaborations with experts in counseling, anthropology, outdoor education, forest social science, and public health address interconnected social, environmental, and mental health challenges. As Co-Director of the Laboratory for the American Conversation, Wolsko examines cultural constructions of health behaviors, flourishing in natural environments, and communication on contentious issues, employing social psychology, experimental methods, and quantitative analysis.

Wolsko has authored influential publications, including 'Framing interethnic ideology: Effects of multicultural and color-blind perspectives on judgments of groups and individuals' (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2000), cited over 900 times; 'Red, white, and blue enough to be green: Effects of moral framing on climate change attitudes and conservation behaviors' (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 2016), cited nearly 700 times; and 'Expanding the range of environmental values: Political orientation, moral foundations, and the common ingroup' (Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2017). Other key works cover systems of access for sustainability (Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy, 2016), firearm restrictions in suicide prevention affirming cultural values (Social Science & Medicine, 2020), and conceptions of wellness among Alaska Native Yup’ik communities (Ethnicity & Health, 2006). He teaches courses in social and environmental psychology, research methods, stereotyping and prejudice, personality, conservation, religion and spirituality. Wolsko serves on the Oregon State University Research Council and participates in Faculty Senate elections.