Lindsay S Ham

Lindsay S Ham is a Professor in the Department of Psychological Science at the University of Arkansas, within the College of Arts & Sciences. She is the Director of the Alcohol Research Lab and a licensed psychologist in Arkansas. Her work integrates clinical psychology with public health, focusing on alcohol-related harms, aggression, and mental health.

Education:

• B.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1999
• M.A., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2001
• Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2004
• Clinical Internship, Medical University of South Carolina/Charleston Consortium, 2003–2004

Her research centers on the psychological mechanisms underlying alcohol use and its social consequences. Key areas include prevention of alcohol-related harms, alcohol and aggression, and the interplay between alcohol and anxiety disorders. She investigates how alcohol intoxication affects emotional processing, decision-making, and bystander behavior in contexts of sexual assault risk. Her lab conducts both experimental and naturalistic field studies to understand real-world behavior.

The recent publications show a strong trend in studying social cognition under alcohol influence, particularly focusing on sexual assault prevention, consent perception, and emotional recognition. Her work increasingly integrates personality traits (e.g., fear of missing out, negative urgency) with alcohol expectancies and behavioral outcomes. Many studies involve collaborative, interdisciplinary teams and include student co-authors, reflecting her active mentorship.

Scientific Awards:

• Best Poster Award, ABCT Women’s Issues in Behavior Therapy (2023)

Dr. Ham has secured significant grant funding from NIH, HRSA, and the Arkansas Biosciences Institute, serving as Principal or Co-Investigator on multiple projects related to substance use, integrated care, and sexual aggression prevention. She actively mentors graduate students in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program, advising on dissertations and research. Her lab, the Alcohol Research Lab, fosters a collaborative environment focused on generating science-based strategies for mitigating alcohol-related harms. She is currently recruiting new Ph.D. students for the 2025–2026 academic year.