Faculty/Staff Information

Professor, Psychological Sciences

Ph.D. Psychology 1996
University of Nevada Reno
Comprehensive areas: Psycholinguistics, Memory

M.A. Psychology 1993
University of Nevada Reno
Comprehensive areas: Conditioning & Learning, Memory & Cognition, Language, Human Development, Comparative Psychology, Physiology, Sensation & Perception

B.S. Psychology, Cum Laude 1989
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Senior project: Music & Performance

Chair,  Behavioral Sciences, Western Oregon University, 2015-2019

Department Head, Psychological Sciences, Western Oregon University, 2013-2015

Professor, Psychological Sciences, Western Oregon University, 2009-present

Associate Professor, Psychology Department, Western Oregon University, 2003-2008

Assistant Professor, Psychology Department, Western Oregon University, 1998-2003

NTT Assistant Professor, Psychology Department, Western Oregon University, 1995-1998

Instructor, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada Reno, 

Graduate Training Specialist, Graduate School Instructional Development Program University of Nevada Reno,                                         

Teaching Assistant, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada Reno, 

• Excellence in Teaching Award (2011). The National Society of Leadership and Success.
• Western Oregon University Advisor of the Year Award Nominee (2003, 2005, 2007)
• Office of Disability Services Certificate of Recognition (2005) for significant contributions to success of Students with Disabilities at WOU
• Center for Teaching and Learning/Liberal Arts and Sciences Grant Recipient (2004) Received $1,000 award for faculty/student collaborative research
• Phi Kappa Phi (May, 2002)
• Who’s Who Among American Teachers (June, 2002)
• Associated Students of Western Oregon University Outstanding Faculty Award (November, 2001)
• WOU College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Academic Research (June, 2001)
• Psi Chi Regional Research Award (May, 2001)
• Western Oregon University Faculty Development Summer Stipend Research Award (March, 2001)
• Western Oregon University Faculty Development Work Load Reassignment Research Award (2005, 2008, 2014)
• Western Oregon University Faculty Development Major Project Award (2003, 2004, 2013)
• Western Oregon University Foundation Grant Recipient to support student research (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004)
• Western Oregon University Foundation Grant Recipient to support Western Oregon University-Talmadge Middle School Mentor Program (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2015,2016)
• Western Oregon University Pastega Excellence in Teaching Award Nominee (1998, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2013 )
• Western Oregon University Faculty Development Travel Awards (1998-2015)

• Association for Psychological Science
• Western Psychological Association
• Oregon Academy of Sciences

In my classes you will develop critical thinking skills, you will question research findings, and look for evidence based on conclusions. 

Undergraduate Courses: General Psychology, Introduction to Research Methods, Quantitative Methods, Advanced Research Methods, Theories of Learning, Mentoring I and II, Language Development, Behavior Modification, Cognitive Neuroscience, Advanced Topics in Memory

Graduate Courses: Theories of Development, Theories of Learning, Learning and Memory for Instruction

Language Development Research: My primary research interests are in the field of psycholinguistics. I have explored the relationship between environmental input and the development of irregular noun and verb forms in both children and adults. My current experimental work focuses on how distraction from technology (e.g., smartphones) may impact language and interactions between parrents and young children.

Barriers and Supports Related to Psychology Alumni Career Outcomes: Many psychology programs are developing approaches to facilitate student career exploration. Alumni are a valuable resource for providing information about jobs, graduate school, and for countering the myth that “you can’t get a job with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.” In this project, we are sampled WOU Psychology alumni following different career paths (i.e., graduate school or straight to work). Trained undergraduate research assistants conducted semi-structured interviews with alumni.  Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, checked for reliability, and are currently being coded and analyzed using the consensual qualitative research (CQR) model (Hill, Thompson, Williams, 1997). We explored themes related to decision making specifically, how alumni chose to attend graduate school or get a job immediately following graduation. Additionally, we have considered barriers and supports to career development experienced by alumni with special attention to unique barriers experienced by first generation psychology alumni.  

Undergraduate Psychology Expectations about Careers in the Field. In this research group, we explored psychology majors expectations regarding careers. Specifically we asked psychology undergraduates to specify how much education was needed for achieving their desired career in the field (e.g., do you need a bachelor's degree? a master's degree?) and their expected annual salary for the career. We also assessed career decision making self efficacy. We found that students typically overestimated education needed for a career in the field, and expected to earn more that typical based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Results of this study have implications for career advising and helping students successfully enter the job market following graduation.  

* co-authors are current or former Western Oregon University undergraduates. 

Limited from 2008 to present   

*Strapp, C. M., Gallagher, L. H., Jefferson, A. R., Alvarez, D. (2023). Barriers, supports, and identities related to career development in psychology alumni. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. Advance online publication. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/stl0000370  

*Strapp, C. M., Bredimus, K., Wright, T., Cochrane, R., & Fields, E. (2020). Entering the workforce or going to graduate school: Themes in psychology alumni decision making. Teaching of Psychology, 48(2), 144-154.  https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0098628320977770

*Hoover, S. M., Strapp, C. M., Ito, A., Foster, K., & Roth, K. (2018). Teaching qualitative research interviewer skills: A developmental framework for qualitative research teams. Qualitative Psychology, 5, 300-308

*Strapp, C. M., Drapela, D. J., Henderson, C. I., Nasciemento, E., & Roscoe, L. J. (2018). Psychology students’ expectations regarding educational requirements and salary for desired careers. Teaching of Psychology, 45 (1), Special Issue Careers in Psychology, 6-13. doi 10.1177/0098628317744943    

* Strapp, C. M., Gilles, A. W., Spalding, A. E., Hughes, C. T., Baldwin, A. M., Kunze, K. L., Papen, K. R., & Lamb, A. D. (2014). Changes in mentor efficacy and perceptions following participation in a youth mentoring program. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 22(3), 190-209..doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2014.927096

*Strapp, C. M., Helmick, A. L., Tonkovich, H. M., & Bleakney, D. M. (2011).  Effects of negative and positive evidence on adult word learning. Language Learning, 61 (2) 506-532. doi 10.1111/j.1467.9922.2010.00619x 

*Strapp, C. M., & Farr, R. J. (2010). To get involved or not: The relationship between extracurricular involvement, satisfaction and academic achievement.  Teaching of Psychology, 37, 50-54.   

Roscoe, L. J., & Strapp, C. M. (2009). Increasing psychology students’ satisfaction with preparedness through a professional issues course. Teaching of Psychology, 36, 18-23.   

*Strapp, C. M., Bleakney, D. M., Helmick, A. L., & Tonkovich, H. M. (2008). Developmental differences in the effects of negative and positive evidence. First Language, 28 (1), 35-53.  

* co-authors are current or former Western Oregon University undergraduates. 

Limited to last 10 years.  

*Drapela, D. J., Warren, M., Bredimus, K., Lanning, K.A., Wright, T., Flores, A., Henderson, C., I, Dryden, I., Strapp, C. M., & Hoover, S. M. (2016, February). Exploring qualitative research through transcription and analysis of alumni stories. Paper presented at annual meeting of Oregon Academy of Sciences, Forest Grove, OR. 

*Drapela, D. J., Henderson, C., I, Strapp, C. M., & Roscoe, L. J. (2015). Do I really have to go to graduate school? Expectations about education and salary for careers in Psychology. Proceedings of Oregon Academy of Science, 54, 40. 

 *Foster, K. D., Roth, K. M., Strapp, C. M., Hoover, S. M., & Roscoe, L. J. (2015). Learning from alumni: Advice, experience, and encouragement. Proceedings of Oregon Academy of Science, 54, 40.

* Strapp, C. M., Granov, I. M., & Dixon, K. J. (2011). Psychology alumni reflect on involvement, satisfaction and academic achievement. Proceedings of the Oregon Academy of Science, 47, 52 

*Strapp, C. M., Papen, K. K., Lamb, A.D., & Spalding, A. E. (2011). Mentor efficacy and beliefs: When are benefits perceived? Proceedings of the Oregon Academy of Science, 47, 53.  

*Strapp, C. M., Kunze, K. L., Hughes, C. T., Spalding, A. E., & Gilles, A. W. (2010). Benefits and challenges of mentoring middle school students. Proceedings of the Oregon Academy of Sciences, 46, 47.

*Strapp, C. M., McMillan, A. M., Spalding, A. E., & Gilles, A. W. (2009). Assessment of school based mentoring program: Measuring mentor and mentee change. Proceedings of the Oregon Academy of Sciences, 45, 51. 

*Strapp, C. M., & Silbernagel, R. M. (2008). Gender typed words and gestures: An assessment of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory. Proceedings of the Oregon Academy of Sciences, 44, 53.