Jessica Fossum

Jessica Fossum serves as Assistant Professor of Psychology and Director of Research for Graduate Psychology at Seattle Pacific University's School of Psychology, Family, and Community (SPFC), joining the institution in 2022 after completing her doctoral studies at UCLA.

Education:

• BA/BS, Seattle Pacific University, 2019
• MA, University of California, Los Angeles, 2020
• PhD, University of California, Los Angeles, 2023

Research Focus: Dr. Fossum specializes in quantitative methodology, with core expertise in statistical power analysis for mediation and moderation models. Her work directly addresses methodological gaps in psychological research through transparent design practices and open science principles. She actively develops frameworks to help researchers maximize analytical rigor within resource constraints.

Key contributions include:

• Alignment of power analysis with data analysis techniques
• Best practices for conditional process modeling
• Promotion of registered reports in psychological publishing
• Statistical optimization for complex research designs
• Advocacy for methodological transparency

Publication Trends: Her research trajectory demonstrates consistent focus on methodological innovation in psychological science. The 2023 publication tackles critical misalignments between power analysis and data analysis in mediation studies, while the 2021 work provides empirical evidence for expanding registered reports in psychology journals. Both reflect her commitment to strengthening research validity through statistical precision and publishing reform.

Scientific Awards: No scientific awards were documented in the provided materials.

Academic Leadership: As Director of Research for Graduate Psychology, she oversees research infrastructure across SPFC's graduate programs including the Clinical Psychology PhD and Research Psychology MS. Her mentorship emphasizes methodological rigor in student research design and statistical analysis.

Research Environment: While not explicitly affiliated with a named laboratory, her work intersects with SPFC's quantitative research initiatives including the Social Cognition Laboratory and Trauma Therapy Experiences Study, contributing to the school's focus on methodologically sophisticated psychological inquiry.