John Petraitis

Petraitis
Professor, Interim Dean for the College of Arts & Sciences
Department of Psychology
SSB 335

(907) 786-1651
jmpetraitis@alaska.edu

Education

  • Ph.D.,Social Psychology, Loyola University of Chicago, 1990

Teaching Responsibilities

  • PSY A111: General Psychology
  • PSY A260: Statistics for Psychology
  • PSY A375: Social Psychology
  • PSY A412: Foundations of Modern Psychology
  • PSY A695: Teaching Practicum in Psychology

Professional & Department Service

  • Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

Research Interests

  • Factors that contribute to the onset of substance use among adolescents
  • Evolutionary influences on risk-taking behaviors by adolescents and young adults

Publications

Petraitis, J., Lampman, C., Boeckmann, R. J., & Falconer, E. (2014). The evolution of risk-taking for mate attraction: Sex differences in attractiveness of hunter-gatherer and modern risks. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 44, 442-453. 

Flay, B. R., Petraitis, J. & Snyder, F. (2009). The theory of triadic influence. In DiClement, R. J., Kegler, M. C. & Crosby, R. A. (Eds.), Emerging theories in health promotion practice and research (2nd edition), pp 451-510. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 

Dewhurst, M. E., Veach, P. M., Lampman, C., Petraitis, J., Kao, J & LeRoy, B. (2007). Probability biases in genetic problem solving: A comparison of undergraduates, genetic counseling graduate students, and genetic counselors. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 16(2), 157-170. 

Renner, C., Patton, C., Enoch, C., Petraitis, J., Offord, K. P., Angstman, B., Garrison, A., Nevak, C., Croghan, I. T., & Hurd, R. D. (2004). Focus groups of Y-K Delta 熊猫在线视频 Natives: Attitudes toward tobacco use and tobacco dependence interventions. Preventive Medicine, 38(4), 421-431. 

Petraitis, J. & Flay, B. R. (2002). How can theory be used in substance use prevention?: Bridging the gap between theory and practice. In Z. Sloboda & W. J. Bukoski (Eds.), Handbook for drug abuse prevention: Theory, science, and practice. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plemum Publishers. 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (March, 2001). Tobacco Use Among Women: A Report of the Surgeon General. Washington, D. C.: Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. Contributing author (with B. R. Flay & F. B. Hu) to Chapter 4, Section B, "Factors that influence initiation of smoking." 

Flay, B. R., Petraitis, J., & Hu, F. B. (2000.) Psychosocial risk and protective factors for adolescent tobacco use. Nicotine and Tobacco Research. 

Heath, L. & Petraitis J. (1987/2000). Television viewing and fear of crime: Where is the "Mean World." Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 8, 97-123. Reprinted in Ditton, J. & Farrall, S. (2000) (Eds.) The fear of crime. Ashgate: Dartmouth, VT. 

Petraitis, J., Reynolds, T., Litzenberg, S., Boeckmann, R., McDonnell, R., Swiantek, K. & Widness, J. (May 28, 2010). Lacking Resources, What's a Boy to Do?: Risky Business as a Way to a Girl's Heart. Presented at the annual conference of the Association for Psychological Science. Boston, MA. (Note: because of an error, the APS program list the authors incorrectly. I have to correct authorship in this citation.) 

Lampman, C. & Petraitis, J. (April 2008). Dark Side of Academics: Consequences and Culprits of Contrapower Harrassment. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Psychological Association. Irvine, CA.  

Petraitis, J., Lampman, C. & Falconer, E. M. (May 2007). Sex and Drugs: Substance as a Means of Attracting Mates? Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Psychological Association. Vancouver, B.C.  

Petraitis, J., Lampman, C., Wesolowski, V., Trimble, E. J. & Falconer, E. M. (April, 2006).Evolution of risk for mate attraction: Ancestral vs. modern risks. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Psychological Association. Palm Springs, CA.  

Lampman, C. & Petraitis, J. (April, 2005). Primetime Pregnancy: A Content Analysis. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Psychological Association. Portland, OR.  

Petraitis, J., Myers, C. H., Law, A. E., & Johnson, E. L. (May, 2003). Incivil discourse: Reliabilities and sex differences in letters to the editor. Presented at the Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association, Vancouver, BC, Canada.  

Petraitis, J. (May, 2001). Stages of Smoking Cessation. Invited address at the Annual Schools of Addictions Conference. Anchorage, AK.  

Lampman, C., Petraitis, J., Slone Rust, S., & Rolfe-Maloney, B. (May, 2001). The effects of marital name choice on perceptions of women. Presented at the Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association, Maui, Hawaii.