Matthew S. Davis, Ph.D.

Professor - Tenured
Psychology Department
Dominican University of California
50 Acacia Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415) 257-0198
campus e-mail: davis@domican.edu

Courses Taught:

PSY 3003 Human Response to Disaster
PSY 3005 Social Influence
PSY 3010 Psychology of Media and Pop Culture
PSY 3020 Environment & Behavior
PSY 1100 Introduction to Psychology
PSY 3160 Social Psychology
PSY 3187 Statistics for Health & Behavioral Sciences
PSY 4003 Natural Disaster: Societal/Individual Reactions to Risk
PSY 4013 Human Sexuality
PSY 4026 Media Psychology: Television & Society
PSY 4997/4998 Directed Research I & II

Academic Background:

B.A., Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, June, 1980

M.A., Experimental Social Psychology, College of William and Mary, June, 1982

Ph.D., Social Ecology, University of California Irvine, December 1990

Research Interests:

My masters thesis concerned attributions of blame toward victims of earthquakes. For my doctoral work, my focus became more applied and was focused on perceptions of risk and levels of earthquake preparedness among residents of southern California.

In 2003 I conducted an initial study of the public's perceptions of risk from volcanic hazards at both Vesuvio and Etna in Italy. In 2006 I was involved in a more in-depth, follow-up study of over 4,000 residents of metropolitan Naples. Last year I completed research on public awareness of and response to tsunami hazards in northern California in collaboration with the Marin County Sheriff's Department Office of Emergency Services as well as a study of public perceptions of risk for volcanic mudflow and debris flow hazards at Mt. Rainier, Washington in collaboration with colleagues from GNS Science, New Zealand. Most recently I conducted a study evaluating the psychological impact of participation in the Get Ready Marin disaster preparedness program that has recently been implemented in Marin County.

Other topics of interest to me include a variety of issues in social psychology and human sexuality, media influences on attitudes and behavior, and social influence tactics.

View of Vesuvio with ruins of Herculaneum and modern city of Ercolano in foreground.

Recent Publications:

Barberi, F., Davis, M.S., Isaia, R., Nave, R. & Ricci, T. (In press). Volcanic risk perception in the Vesuvius population. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research: Special Issue on Volcanic Risk Perception.

Professional Presentations:

Davis, M.S. (2008). Community-based disaster preparedness training: Impact on citizens, Paper presented at the 88th Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association, Irvine, CA., April 11, 2008.

Davis, M.S., Barberi, F., Isaia, R., Nave, R. & Ricci, T. (2007). Volcanic risk perception in the Vesuvius population. Poster presented at Cities on Volcanoes 5, Shimabara, Japan, November 18-23, 2007.

Johnston, D.M., Davis, M.S., & Becker, J. (2007). Community understanding of the lahar risk around Mount Rainier, USA. Poster presented at Cities on Volcanoes 5, Shimabara, Japan, November 18-23, 2007.

Davis, M.S., Johnston, D.M, & Becker, J. (2007). Risk perception, warning systems and evacuation plans for volcanic hazards. Paper presented at the 87^th Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association, May 5, 2007, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Davis, M., Ricci, T. & Mitchell, L. M. (2006). Awareness of volcanic hazards and perceptions of risk among communities surrounding Etna and Vesuvio, Italy. Paper presented at Cities on Volcanoes 4, Quito, Ecuador, January 23 - 27, 2006.

Davis, M. (2006). Tsunami awareness on the coast of northern California. Poster presented at Cities on Volcanoes 4, Quito, Ecuador, January 23 - 27, 2006.

Bartolini, L., Davis, M., Gharib, A., Matthews, G., & Phillips, W. (2005). Working with difficult students: A workshop for faculty. Poster presented at the 85th Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association, Portland, Oregon, April 14 - 17, 2005.

Davis, M.S. (2004). Perception of risk for volcanic hazards in Italy. Paper presented at the 112^th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, August 1, 2004, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Ricci, T. & Davis, M.S. (2004). Perceptions of risk for volcano hazards at Vesuvio and Etna, Italy. Poster Presented at the conference: Mitigating Volcanic Crises: Practical Solutions for the 21st Century, University College London, Great Britain, August 31 – September 2, 2004.

Davis, M.S. (2003). An interdisciplinary approach to teaching a course on Natural Disaster. Paper Presentation at Cities on Volcanoes 3 Conference, July 15, 2003, Hilo, Hawaii.

Adams, S., Boitano, J., Crosby, M., Davis, M.S., Grant, G., Peters, M. (2002). Scholarship of teaching/academic learning community: Prospects and problems. Paper presented at the 14th Annual Lilly Conference on College & University Teaching – West, Pomona, California, March 8, 2002.

Davis, M.S. (2002). Living With Risk: How Vulnerable Populations Cope with the Possibility of Future Disasters. Presentation for American Red Cross, Contra Costa County Chapter, February 9, 2002.

Aerial View, Crater of Vesuvio