Peggy Zoccola

Peggy Zoccola is a Professor, Department Chair, and Director of Experimental Training in the Department of Psychology at Ohio University’s College of Arts and Sciences. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology & Social Behavior from the University of California, Irvine in 2010, an M.A. in Social Ecology from the same institution in 2006, and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002.

Her research focuses on psychosocial processes and health, particularly how rumination and worry influence cortisol and inflammatory responses to stress. She leads the Psychosocial Processes and Health Laboratory and the Experimental Health Research Lab, investigating factors that buffer stress, such as mindfulness, hardiness, and lifestyle interventions. Her work spans psychoneuroimmunology, emotion regulation, and the biopsychosocial mechanisms of stress.

Her recent publications in journals like Psychosomatic Medicine, Psychoneuroendocrinology, and Health Psychology reflect a consistent focus on stress physiology, social-evaluative threat, and mental health disparities among sexual and gender minorities. She has secured major grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Endowment for the Arts.

• Editorial Roles: Co-editor of special issues in Annals of Behavioral Medicine on open science and minority health
• Professional Books: Co-authored Becoming a Health Psychologist (2020), a key resource for students and advisors
• Grants: Principal and co-investigator on federal and institutional grants totaling over $800,000
• Students: Mentored numerous graduate students, including Wilson Figueroa, Andrew Manigault, and Alex Woody

She is affiliated with leading professional organizations such as the American Psychosomatic Society, Society for Health Psychology (APA Division 38), Society of Behavioral Medicine, and Society for Personality and Social Psychology.