Assistant Professor, Psychology
Ph.D., University of Kentucky 2021
M.S., University of Kentucky 2018
B.S., University of Kentucky Stevens Point 2016
PSYC 210: Developmental Psychology
PSYC 386: Adolescent Development
PSYC 495: Family Formation and Diversity
Hi! I’m Sam Bruun, a faculty member at MCLA as of Fall 2023. I graduated with my PhD from the University of Kentucky in 2020, where I taught courses relating to developmental psychology, neuroscience, statistics, and gender development. My teaching style largely focuses on showing how course content can allow one to develop a greater appreciation for the world at large. No knowledge is limited to just the classroom, and the more you know the more you can appreciate the complexities of life! Additionally, I like to focus on how cultural context can change how we view different psychological phenomenon. What may present a psychological risk in one context could be protective in another, so understanding the context in which something occurs is just as important as understanding the phenomenon itself.
My academic work has largely focused on two main lines of research. The first examines the challenges and successes faced by gay and lesbian parents navigating the adoption system, and the outcomes of their family systems. My second line of research deals with examining what drives people to make choices about their appearance, and how these appearance choices can be identity affirming or negating. I’m especially interested in the effects of being “forced to choose” which identities are going to be most visible to others, and the impact of not being able to reach one’s ideal self-presentation. I am currently looking for help processing data from a project in this area, so shoot me an email if studying appearance pressures sounds interesting to you!
My general research interests revolve around children and adolescents understanding of social identities, especially gender and sexual orientation. I am especially interested in the reciprocal relationship between individual’s identities and physical objects in the world, such as gender expression through clothing or toy preference.
