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Department of Psychological Sciences

James Shanteau, Ph.D.

shanteauContact Information

Office: BH 419

Phone: 532-0618

E-mail: shanteau@ksu.edu

Research Interests

Dr. Shanteau's past research has examined decision making in a number of applied areas of psychology. Recent studies have involved analysis of organ donation decisions, expert decision makers in business and agriculture, medical decision making, and consumer health-care choices. One undergraduate assistant's study, as part of a larger experiment, looked at how the childbirth experience of new parents changed their perception of what is important in selecting a hospital and doctor. This student's research was recently published in Research in Nursing and Health. Rather than doing the mundane work of someone else's research project, Dr. Shanteau prefers undergraduate research assistants to get involved in their own project. He sees the professor's role is that of an advisor. Dr. Shanteau encourages his undergraduate assistants to work in the same area as that of a graduate student so they can benefit from the graduate student's advice and experience. Contact with graduate students is also helpful in deciding whether or not one wants to go on to graduate school.

Assistants are required to have taken Experimental Methods and Elements of Statistics. The number of assistants needed is one or two.

Topics in psychology can be done if a student would like to do a reading or literature review related to the field of decision making or consumer behavior. Dr. Shanteau encourages him/her also to do some research in order to get a better feel for the area.