Cluster Hiring Initiative

The Psychology and Neurobiology of Dysregulated Behavior

Eating disorders, suicidal behavior, and substance abuse are just a few examples of the kind of dysregulated behavior that takes its toll each year on millions of people and cost billions of dollars.

Accordingly, research into dysregulated behavior has become a priority for agencies within the National Institutes of Health, including those focused on mental health, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, children’s health, and diabetes. Such research also is a priority for other federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Success in the research of dysregulated behavior requires sophisticated approaches to both the physical and mental state of the participants under study. Florida State University researchers have made significant advancements in these areas, particularly those that share common psychological and neurobiological characteristics. These achievements provide the foundation for the interdisciplinary approach the Department of Psychology and FSU College of Medicine will take to bringing further understanding to the causes of and treatment of dysregulated behavior.

The FSU Departmen of Psychology has achieved high stature internationally in the science of eating, and its clinical psychology program has done prominent research on risk-taking, substance abuse, suicidal behavior, and eating disorders. The social psychology program also has gained national attention for its research into self-regulation. The medical humanities and social sciences department in the College of Medicine, meanwhile, focuses its research on the psychosocial components of patient care and medical education. With these underpinnings, the intersection of these programs has significant potential for vital progress in dysregulated behavior research.

To enhance this cluster of recognized and respected researchers, FSU will hire additional leaders in these and related fields of study. The new faculty members will be housed in the state-of-the-art Psychology Building, which opened in August 2006 and provides room for the cluster’s further growth. This building, along with adjacent medical school facilities that first opened three years ago, has heightened the energy and enthusiasm that is characteristic of the psychology and medical researchers at FSU. By working together in this interdisciplinary program, the researchers have positioned the university to be a world leader on the psychology and neurobiology of dysregulated behavior.

 

Faculty