James Wages
Assistant Professor of Psychology
MAS 253
Getting to Know Dr. Wages
I am originally from Tupelo, Mississippi, the birthplace of Elvis Presley (who is actually a distant cousin of mine). I later moved to Northwest Arkansas and graduated from Gravette High School. I went to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville to study psychology for my undergraduate degree. While there, I played the tuba in the Razorback Marching Band and worked as a resident assistant. I was the first person in my family to complete a college degree. After college, I moved to Chicago to complete my master’s and doctorate degrees in psychology at Northwestern University. Arkansas and Chicago are my favorite places!
Where did you get your degrees?
Ph.D. — Northwestern University (Social Psychology)
M.S. — Northwestern University (Social Psychology)
B.A. — University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (Psychology)
What year did you start working in the department?
August 2021
What classes do you regularly teach?
PSYC 2331: Research Methods
PSYC 4301/2: Psychology Apprenticeship
PSYC 4311: Psychology in Context
Do you have any hobbies, interests, or unique facts you would like to share?
In my free time, I enjoy hiking, traveling, and listening to music. I also like spending time with my family and friends, attending concerts and musicals, watching fantasy films and shows, and cheering on the Arkansas Razorbacks (Woo Pig Sooie!). More recently, I have developed interests in photography, pickleball, and weightlifting.
What are your scholarly and/or applied interests?
Broadly, I study what people think about other people. This includes the beliefs we hold about social groups and how we make sense of decisions made by ourselves and others. Psychologists could characterize my research as being at the intersection of social cognition, stereotyping, and decision-making. My primary work investigates how people make meaning of risk-taking and whether such meanings are imbued with social connotations. I also study the nature of social bias (such as racial and gender biases), including how people think about social bias in others and how to reduce social bias.
Important Links
http://jameswages.owlstown.net/