Jessica L. Hartnett

Jessica L. Hartnett is an Associate Professor at Gannon University, Department of Psychology. She holds a Ph.D. in Social/Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Northern Illinois University (2009) and has been with Gannon since 2009, progressing from Visiting Professor to Associate Professor (2016-present).

• Current research focuses on emotions, particularly the fading affect bias and affective forecasting error.
• Teaches Positive Psychology, Social Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and Psychological Statistics.
• Co-authored Pollyanna's Revenge (2014, 2017), a book about the fading affect bias.
• Advocates for innovative statistics education, maintaining the blog Not Awful and Boring.

Research Trends: Her work bridges emotional theory with applied psychology, emphasizing how emotional biases shape memory and decision-making across disciplines like counseling, education, and behavioral economics.

Professional Background: Prior roles include Assistant Professor (2010-2016) and Visiting Professor (2009-2010) at Gannon, adjunct positions at Aurora University and Kishwaukee College, and instructor roles at Northern Illinois University (2003-2009).

Educational History:

• Ph.D. (2009) and M.A. (2006) in Social/Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Northern Illinois University.
• B.S. (2001) in Psychology with Biological and Evolutionary Sciences Concentration from Pennsylvania State University.

Personal Life: Married to Dominic Prianti (Philosophy instructor at Gannon), with sons Nico and Arthie. Enjoys Erie Zoo, Presque Isle, and Frontier Park.