Benita Jackson

Benita Jackson serves as the Chair of the Psychology Department and Professor of Psychology at Smith College, where she has established herself as a leading researcher in the intersection of psychology, health, and social environments. Her work focuses on how social, cultural, and physical environments are internalized and shape health outcomes, with particular attention to health disparities and prevention strategies.

Dr. Jackson's educational background includes:

• A.B. in Cognitive Science with a minor in Women's Studies from the University of California, Berkeley
• A.M. and Ph.D. from the joint psychology (personality) and women's studies program at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (the first program of its kind)
• M.P.H. in Quantitative Methods with an emphasis on Social Epidemiology from Harvard University

Dr. Jackson's research interests span multiple interconnected domains that examine the psychological and physical correlates of social status. Her work investigates how environments—social, cultural, and physical—are internalized and shape health behaviors and sub-clinical disease markers. She has strong interests in health disparities, particularly examining racial and gender inequities in health outcomes. Her research employs diverse methodologies including basic experiments, intervention studies with college samples, observational studies of community populations, and meta-analyses.

Analysis of Dr. Jackson's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the intersection of social determinants of health, particularly racism, discrimination, and housing instability, with physical and mental health outcomes. Her work demonstrates increasing attention to maternal health disparities, pain perception across racial groups, and the physiological mechanisms linking social stressors to health outcomes. The interdisciplinary nature of her research bridges psychology, public health, and social epidemiology, with a strong commitment to translating findings into practical applications for health equity.

Dr. Jackson's scientific recognition includes:

• Elected Fellow of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI)
• Recipient of the Undergraduate Teaching and Mentoring Award from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP)

Dr. Jackson is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of researchers and practitioners. She serves as a campus advisor for the Five College Certificate Program in Culture, Health and Science, preparing students for graduate study in psychology, public health, and medicine. Her mentoring philosophy emphasizes translating psychological research for public understanding and developing psychological resources like resilience and leadership capacity in young people. Beyond formal advising, she supports community empowerment through training for the Sojourner Truth School for Social Justice and exploring the social liberatory potential of mind-body medicine.

Dr. Jackson directs the Society, Psychology, and Health Laboratory, where her team conducts research on the psychological and physical correlates and consequences of social status. The lab employs a range of research methods to examine health disparities and prevention strategies, with particular attention to how social processes link to health outcomes across diverse populations.