About
Dr. Doyle P. Tate is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology at Mercer University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, where he also contributes to the women and gender studies major. His research investigates mental health and family formation issues—including infertility and involuntary childlessness—across heterosexual and sexual minority populations using survey methodology.
His educational background includes:
- Ph.D. in Psychology (Concentrations: Community and Developmental Psychology) from the University of Virginia
- M.A. in Psychology (Concentrations: Community and Developmental Psychology) from the University of Virginia
- B.A. in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina
Dr. Tate's work challenges the traditional heterosexual framework of infertility by demonstrating how sexual minority populations experience involuntary childlessness, with implications for public policy, law, and fertility medicine. He employs community and developmental psychology lenses to examine intersections of gender, sexual identity, and family formation, while actively mentoring students through research opportunities.
Analysis of his publications reveals consistent focus on cross-cultural comparisons (particularly U.S.-Israel), pronatalism, and normative attitudes toward parenthood across sexual identities. His methodology predominantly utilizes survey data to quantify experiences of involuntary childlessness and societal perceptions of diverse family structures.
As principal investigator of the P.S.I.F.I. (Psychopathology, Sexual Identity, and Family Issues) laboratory, Dr. Tate directs undergraduate research on LGBTQ mental health and family dynamics. He is developing career development initiatives to support psychology students' graduate school and professional pathways.
