Learning and Motivation, Social Psychology, Psychopharmacology, Honors General Psychology, Advanced Social Psychology, Psychology Research Project supervisor

Past President of UWA’s chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, and current national Regional Vice President.

University Academic Council, College Academic Council, College Review Group, Faculty Colloquium Committee, Freshman Studies Committee, Graduate Council, Research Oversight Committee, Sponsored Programs Advisory Committee, Nursing Advisory Committee

My research interests are in emotional reactions to threat and the behaviors those emotions motivate.  From intergroup relations to PTSD to substance abuse, I am interested in the emotional experience, the physiology of emotions, how those emotions vary as a function of social variable, and how those emotions influences mental and physical health.  Using psychophysiological and social psychological theories, my recent research has been on the negative emotions produced from threatening intergroup interactions.  In future research I will expand to positive emotions produced from intergroup interactions to create a comprehensive theory of emotions in intergroup relations.

Davis, M.D., Warlick, C., Pivik-Kelley, K., Murray, S., & Jowers, A. (2011).  “It’s just a joke: The effects of stereotypically charged humor on explicit measures of prejudice.” Experiment in progress.

Davis, M.D., Warlick, C., Hewitt, A., & Pivik-Kelley, K. (2011).  “Language accents as an intergroup threat.” Experiment in progress

Davis, M.D. & Murray, S.C. (2012). Facial reactions to social threat: An investigation of the comprehensive theory of emotional reactions to social threat.  IN A. Freitas Magalhaes (ed), Emotional Expression: The Brain and the Face (Vol. 3).

Davis, M.D. & Stephan W.G., (2011).  Emotional reactions to intergroup threat. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 41 (1), 196-218.

Davis, M.D. & Murray, S (2010).  Threat and emotions: Development of a comprehensive theory. Diversidades, 13 (26), 44-49.

Stephan, W.G., Renfro, C.L., & Davis, M.D. (2009).  The role of threat in intergroup relations.  In U. Wanger, L. Tropp, G. Finchilescu, & C. Tredoux (Eds) Improving intergroup relations: Building on the legacy of Thomas F. Pettigrew. Boston, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Ketelaar, T., Preston, B., Russell, D. C., Davis, M. & Strosser, G. (2007). EMOTLAB: Software for studying Emotional Signaling in Economic Bargaining Games. Behavioral Research Methods, 14, 959-972.

Davis, M.D., & Jones, A. (2012, June). Does color matter? Audience perceptions of criminally convicted athletes. Presentation at the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, Charlotte, NC.

Davis, M.D., Warlick, C., Murray, S.C., Pivik-Kelly, K., & Jowers, A. (2012, January). Reduction of explicit negative attitudes to stereotype-based comedy. Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA.

Davis, M.D., Murray, S., & Huckabee, C. (2011).  “The effects of social exclusion and social acceptance on depression.” Manuscript in preparation for submission.

Khusid, I., McMahon, L., & Davis, M.D. (2011).  The Role of Race and Gender in Voting Decisions.  Manuscript in preparation for submission.

U.S. Department of Justice: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.  Methamphetamine Rural Initiative Grant (2008-2011 CKWX0528).

Intergroup Perceptions, Emotions, and Attitudes Research Lab (IPEARL) http://www.facebook.com/groups/145197125597342/