Department of Psychology

Research Interests

I find great joy in conducting social psychological experiments and in introducing new researchers to the scientific community. My current pleasures are studying human-machine interaction and identifying students at risk of receiving low grades or failing to graduate.

Education

• Ph.D., 1983, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Social Psychology
• M.A., 1975, East Carolina University, General Psychology
• B.A., 1969, East Carolina University, Psychology

Representative Publications

• Davidson, W. B. Beck, H. P. (2016). The development and validation of a measure of career integration in college students. Psychology Research, 6, 371-376.
• Davidson, W. B., Beck, H. P., & Grisaffe, D. B. (2015). Increasing the institutional commitment of college students: Enhanced measurement and test of a nomological model. Journal of College Student Retention, 17, 162-185.
• Beck, H. P. & Davidson, W. B. (2015). Improving the retention of first-year college students: A temporal model of assessment and intervention. Journal of the First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, 27, 75-91.
• Beck, H. P. & Milligan, M. (2014). Factors influencing the institutional commitment of online students. The Internet and Higher Education, 20, 51-56.
• Fridlund, A. J., Beck, H. P., Goldie, W. D., & Irons, G. (2012). Little Albert: Answering the criticism. The Psychologist, 25, 258.
• Fridlund, A. J., Beck, H. P., Goldie, W. D., & Irons, G. (2012, January 23). Little Albert: A Neurologically Impaired Child. History of Psychology, 15, 302-327. doi:10.1037/a0026720
• Beck, H. P. (2011, Summer). Psi Chi Distinguished Lecture Series: Q&A With the 2011 Regional Convention Speakers. Eye on Psi Chi, 15, 29–30.
• Beck, H. P. (2011). Finding Little Albert: A seven-year search for psychology's lost boy. The Psychologist, 24, 392–395.
• Dzindolet, M. T., Beck, H. P., & Pierce, G. L. (2010). Developing trust in human and computer agents. In C. Miller & C. Hayes (Eds.), Human-computer etiquette: Cultural expectations and the design implications they place on computers and technology (pp. 145-180). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. doi: 10.1201/b10420-11
• Beck, H. P., Levinson, S., & Irons, G. (2010). The evidence supports Douglas Merritte as Little Albert. American Psychologist, 65, 301-303. doi: 10.1037/a0019444
• Dzindolet, M., Pierce, L., & Beck, H. P. (2010). An examination of the social, cognitive, and motivational factors that affect automation reliance. In D. Andrews, R. Herz, & M. Wolf (Eds.), Human factors issues in combat identification (pp. 277-298). Farnham, Surrey, UK: Ashgate & Gower.
• Davidson, W. B., Beck, H. P., & Milligan, M. (2009). The College Persistence Questionnaire: Development and validation of an instrument that predicts student attrition. Journal of College Student Development, 50, 373-390.
• Beck, H. P., Levinson, S., & Irons, G. (2009). Finding Little Albert: A Journey to John B. Watson's Infant Laboratory. American Psychologist, 64, 605-614.
• Beck, H. P., Levinson, S., & Irons, G. (2010). The evidence supports Douglas Merritte as Little Albert. American Psychologist, 65, 301-303. doi: 10.1037/a0019444
• Beck, H. P., McKinney, J. B., Dzindolet, M. T., & Pierce, L. G. (2009). Effects of human–machine competition on intent errors in a target detection task. Human Factors, 51, 477-486.
• Beck, H. P., Dzindolet, M. T., & Pierce, L. G. (2007). Automation Usage Decisions: Controlling Intent and Appraisal Errors in a Target Detection Task. Human Factors, 49, 429-437.
• Goddard, R., Kennedy, K., & Beck, H. (2006). Multidisciplinary study abroad programs: How to make them work. In Proceedings of the Academy of International Business (SE-USA Chapter) 2006 Annual Meeting, 144-161, Clearwater, FL: AIB-SE.
• Davidson, W. D., & Beck, H. P. (2006). Using the Survey of Academic Orientations to predict undergraduates' stress levels. NACADA Journal, 26, 13-20.
• Davidson, W. D., & Beck, H. P. (2006-2007). Survey of Academic Orientation scores and persistence in college freshmen. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 8, 297-305.
• Dzindolet, M. T., Beck, H. P., & Pierce, L. G. (2006). Adaptive automation: Building flexibility into human-machine systems. In E. Salas, S. Burke, & L. Pierce (Eds.) Advances in Human Factors and Cognitive Engineering, (Vol 6, pp. 213-248). Boston: Elsevier Press.
• Dzindolet, M. T., Petersen, S. A., Pomranky, R. A., Pierce, L. G., & Beck, H. P. (2003). The role of trust in automation reliance. International Journal of Human and Computer Studies, 58, 697-718.
• Beck, H. P., Dzindolet, M. T., & Pierce, L. G. (2002). Applying a decision-making model to understand misuse, disuse and appropriate automation use. In E. Salas (Ed.), Advances in Human Factors and Cognitive Engineering: Automation, (Vol 2, pp. 37-78). Amsterdam: JAI.
• Dzindolet, M. T., Pierce, L. G., Beck, H. P., & Dawe, L. A. (2002). The perceived utility of human and automated aids in a visual detection task. Human Factors, 44, 79-94.
• Beck, H. P., Rorrer-Woody, S., & Pierce, L. G. (2002). The relations of learning and grade orientations to academic performance. In R. A. Griggs (Ed.), Handbook for teaching introductory psychology: With an emphasis on assessment (Vol. 3, pp. 121-122). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Dzindolet, M. T., Pierce, L. G., Beck, H. P., & Dawe, L. A. (2001). A framework of automation use. (Report Number ARL-CR-2412). Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD: Army Research Laboratory.
• Dzindolet, M. T., Pierce, L. G., Beck, H. P., Dawe, L. A., & Anderson, W. B. (2001). Predicting misuse and disuse of combat identification systems. Military Psychology, 13, 147-164.
• Beck, H. P., & Davidson, W. B. (2001). Establishing an early warning system: Predicting low grades in college students from Survey of Academic Orientations Scores. Research in Higher Education, 42, 709-723.
• Pollio, H. R., & Beck, H. P. (2000). When the tail wags the dog: Perceptions of learning and grade orientations in, and by, contemporary college students. Journal of Higher Education, 71, 84-102.
• Davidson, W. B., Beck, H. P., & Silver, N. C. (1999). Development and validation of scores on a measure of academic orientations in college students. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 59, 678-693.
• Beck, H. P., & Pierce, L. G. (1998). The effects of movement and intravehicular versus intervehicular communication on C2V crew performance: Limited User Tests Phase III. (ARL-TR-1428). Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD: U.S. Army Research Laboratory.
• Beck, H. P., Palmer, R. M., Lindau, W. D., Carpenter, P. L. (1997). The use of a discriminant function to improve prison promotion decisions. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 25, 123-130.
• Beck, H. P., & Pierce, L. G. (1996). The impact of selected group processes on the coordination and motivation of Army teams (ARL-CR-292). Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD: U.S. Army Research Laboratory.
• Beck, H. P., Sigmon, G. L., & Aeschleman, S. R. (1992). Demonstration of an actuarial method for estimating preinjury hand strength. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 2, 3-9.
• Beck, H. P., Rorrer-Woody, S., & Pierce, L. G. (1991). The relationships of learning- and grade-orientations to academic performance. Teaching of Psychology, 18, 35-37.

Teaching and Research Awards

• Southeastern Psychological Association, Nominee, Outstanding Paper Award, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009
• Southeastern Psychological Association, Outstanding Paper Award, 2002
• Outstanding Advisor Award, Nominee, College of Arts and Sciences, Appalachian State University , 2000
• Outstanding Teacher Award, Nominee, College of Arts and Sciences, Appalachian State University, 1992-1993; 1995-1996; 1997-1998
• Excellence in Teaching Award, College of Arts and Sciences, Appalachian State University, 1987