Joseph Hamm

Joseph Hamm is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University (MSU) affiliated with the College of Social Science, School of Criminal Justice, Environmental Science and Policy Program, and Department of Political Science (by courtesy). His research focuses on trust in governance, legitimacy of legal authorities, and latent construct measurement modeling, with applications in criminal justice, environmental policy, and public administration. Hamm collaborates with national, state, and local agencies, including the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and leads the Community Engagement Core for MSU's Superfund Research Program.

• Education: PhD in Psychology (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2014), Master of Legal Studies (University of Nebraska College of Law, 2011), MA in Psychology (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2011), BA in Psychology (University of Northern Colorado, 2008).

Hamm's research investigates the intersection of government and public trust through empirical studies of judicial systems, law enforcement, and environmental health governance. He contributes to cross-boundary social science frameworks and develops methodologies for measuring abstract constructs like legitimacy and trust. His recent work includes modeling trust-distrust dynamics during crises and analyzing psychological predictors of judicial performance.

Publications span journals such as Public Administration Review, Legal and Criminological Psychology, and Ecology and Society, reflecting interdisciplinary collaborations and theoretical advancements. Articles emphasize trust measurement, procedural justice, and institutional legitimacy, often incorporating quantitative methods and applied policy insights.

Hamm supervises the Teaching, Researching, and Understanding the Social Science of Trust (TRUSST) Lab, a PhD student-led research incubator. He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Trust Research and on editorial boards of Psychology, Public Policy, and Law and Law and Human Behavior. His teaching includes advanced quantitative methods and trust-related coursework in criminal justice and environmental policy contexts.