معرفی
Rebecca J. Erickson is a Professor of Sociology and Chair of the Departments of Anthropology & Sociology at the University of Akron. Her research focuses on the emotional dynamics within healthcare professions, particularly nurses' emotional labor, mental health, and work-family balance. Funded by the National Science Foundation and the Health Resources and Services Administration, her work addresses compassion capability in caring professions and organizational interventions to enhance empathy. She collaborates with institutions like Akron City Council on public safety initiatives. Erickson teaches courses including Introduction to Sociology, Sociological Theory, and Sociology of Mental Illness. Her recent projects include developing replicable compassion capability measures and evaluating organizational practices to promote empathy in healthcare settings.
Education: Ph.D. in Sociology from Washington State University (1991).
Research Interests:
- Emotion management in occupational settings
- Healthcare workforce well-being
- Gender and race dynamics in caregiving professions
- Qualitative methodologies (e.g., audio diaries)
Publications highlight her contributions to understanding nurse well-being, work-family spillover, and compassion fatigue. Her work bridges sociology, public health, and organizational behavior, with implications for healthcare policy and professional training.
