Jennifer Taber

Dr. Jennifer Taber is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Kent State University. She leads the Social, Health, and Risk Perception (SHRP) Psychology Lab, focusing on health behaviors, risk perception, and communication strategies.

• Education: Ph.D. (University of Utah, 2013), B.A. (American University, 2008)
• Postdoctoral Training: National Cancer Institute, Behavioral Research Program
• Courses Taught: Health Psychology, Social Psychology, Psychology of Risk Communication, Emotions, Culture & Health

Her research examines why individuals avoid health risk information, how risk perceptions drive behavior, and interventions to reduce defensive responses to health threats. She applies social psychological theories to contexts like Covid-19 vaccination hesitancy, physical activity promotion, and interpretation of numeric risk data.

Recent publications analyze trends in information avoidance, ambiguity aversion, and math cognition in health decision-making. Studies employ experimental designs, surveys, focus groups, and longitudinal analyses to address these themes.

The SHRP lab’s interdisciplinary team conducts field experiments, develops educational interventions (e.g., number lines for risk communication), and explores affective motives in health behavior. Their work bridges social psychology, public health, and behavioral science.