Brian Collisson, PhD
Professor, Department of Psychology
Brian Collisson, PhD, is a social psychologist who studies how personality and commitment shape the ways people form, maintain, and sometimes end close relationships. Using experimental, survey, and social network approaches, his work connects foundational theories of social behavior to applied questions in everyday relational life.
His research has been published in leading outlets such as Psychological Science, Social Psychological and Personality Science, Personality and Individual Differences, and the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships. Collisson has also received media coverage in The New York Times, Time, Scientific American, NPR, and CNN. He is also a regular contributor to Psychology Today, where he translates emerging findings into accessible insights for the public.
At Azusa Pacific University, Collisson is a professor of psychology, teaching courses including General Psychology, Social Psychology, Personality, Political Psychology, Statistics, and Research Methods. He also serves as a dissertation chair and research mentor, helping students connect psychological theory with applied questions about relationships and identity.
Education
- PhD, Social Psychology, University of Florida, 2013
- MS, Social Psychology, University of Florida, 2011
- BA, Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, 2009
- AA, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Chaffey Community College, 2007
Academic Area
- School of Behavioral Sciences
Expertise
- Close relationships
- Commitment and mate selection
- Personality and individual differences
- Survey and non-Experimental Research Methodologies
- Social network analysis
Courses Taught
- PSYC 110 – General Psychology
- PSYC 260 – Writing in Psychology
- PSYC 320 – Social Psychology
- PSYC 250 – Data Analysis in Psychology
- PSYC 362 – Research Methods
- PSYC 380 – Personality Psychology
- PSYC 420 – Political Psychology