Education

 

Degrees

M.Ed., Master of Education, 2023 Department of Education University of Minnesota Duluth, MN
Ph.D., Organizational Behavior, 2001 Schulich School of Business York University Toronto, Canada
MBA, (Harvard Case Method), 1988 Ivey Business School Western University London, Canada
B.A., Philosophy & Economics, 1985 Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo, Canada

 

Other

Graduate Studies, MA Psychology (ABD), 2005 School of Health Professions Brooklyn Campus Long Island University Brooklyn, NY
Special Studies, Philosophy of Religion, 1991 Woodsworth College University of Toronto Toronto, Canada

 

Dissertation

The effectiveness of humor in persuasion: The case of business ethics training.

UMI Dissertations NQ70570

Or, READ IT HERE for free.

Abstract

Humor is a ubiquitous and under-researched phenomenon.  Previous research on its effectiveness in persuasion has produced conflicting and inconclusive results.  Accordingly, this study began by developing theory about when the use of humor could be expected to be effective, based on a review and integration of existing humor theory and persuasion theory.  The Ethics Challenge (Lockheed Martin's board game that uses Dilbert cartoons to teach about ethics) was selected for an experiment to test this theory.  As elements of the humor were removed, changes in the effectiveness of the game were noted. The independent variable was humor (cartoons, wisecracks, neither, or both) and the dependent variable was persuasion (changes in behavioral intentions and descriptive adjective ratings).  Overall, it was the removal of irony and self-effacing humor that had the most significant impact on the effectiveness of the persuasive message.

Thesis Supervisor: Ronald J. Burke BA (Manitoba); MA & PhD (Michigan) Industrial/Organizational Psychology Professor (York)
Thesis Advisor: David E. Dimick BA (St. Olaf); MA & PhD (Minnesota) Career Development/HRM Associate Professor (York)
Thesis Advisor: Robert G. Lucas BComm & MSc (UBC); PhD (Cornell) Organizational Culture Associate Professor (York)
Dean's Representative: Rekha Karambayya BSc (Madras); MBA (IIM); PhD (Northwestern) Diversity in Organizations Associate Professor (York)
Internal Examiner: Esther Greenglass BA, MA, and PhD (Toronto) Social Psychology Professor (York)
External Examiner: Gene Deszca BA, MBA (Western); PhD (York) Organizational Change Professor (WLU)

Professional Development

Death and Dying as a Pathway to Generate Resilience and Cultivate Compassion, Bakken Center, University of Minnesota, July 12, 2023.

Explorations in Consciousness: Death, Psychedelics, and Mystical Experience, June 8, 2023.

Faculty Writing Hunker, Writing Across the Curriculum, University of Minnesota, May 22-26, 2023.

The Global Existentist Summit Mission #2, Existential Offerings, January 2-6, 2023.

Why are we trapped in conflict, and how do we get out? Humphrey School of Public Affairs, November 2, 2022.

Revenue Over Public Safety, Brennan Center for Justice, July 6, 2022.

The Global Existentist Summit Mission #1, Existential Offerings, January 3-7, 2022.

CANVAS Training, University of Minnesota Duluth, January 7, 2021.

Aging Mastery Program, October 22 - November 21, 2019.

Jul 12-15 2017 Las Vegas The Amazing Conference with James Randi, July 12-15, 2017.

Teaching with Cases Online: Web-Based Training, Harvard University, February 24-March 12, 2015.

The Case Method Teaching Seminar: Part II at Harvard University June 14-15, 2013.

OL2000: Online Teacher Training from the World Campus of the Pennsylvania State University, 2010.

Seventh International Summer School and Symposium on Humour and Laughter, University of Aberdeen (Scotland), July 9-14, 2007.

Faculty Development Workshops at Long Island University under Judith Kirchhoff, Jason Zhu, and Aaron Lieberman.

The Art and Craft of Discussion Leadership at Harvard University at the end of April 2004.

Web-based training in classroom technology with McGraw-Hill at the beginning of April 2004.

Studied under award-winning teachers Ronald J. Burke and Christine Oliver (former editor of Administrative Sciences Quarterly) and organizational scholar Gareth Morgan (Images of Organization) at York University.

For five semesters, supported Gareth Morgan, Asaf Zohar, and Pat Bradshaw in developing independence and collaboration within project teams as part of the Management Skills course initiated by my thesis advisor, Rob Lucas.

During 1997, completed a graduate course in University Teaching and Learning at York University. In that context, participated in videotaped teaching and feedback sessions, teleconferencing seminars, and multicultural sensitivity training.

In 1995, attended the 15th Annual Conference on Critical Thinking at Sonoma University near Santa Rosa, California. Spent two additional days there studying the Socratic method under Richard Paul. After the conference, offered in-service seminars at the Toronto campus of DeVry University. Faculty members were inspired to redesign the student orientation course (STOR 115) to include a critical thinking component, and to adopt the textbook I recommended.
 

Other

Omicron Delta Kappa, 2023
University of Minnesota Duluth

Nominated for Teaching Excellence Award, 2009 & 2010
Pennsylvania State University - Great Valley

Excellence in Student Service Award, 2007
Academic Advisement Center
Long Island University

Nominated for U.S. Professor of the Year, 2007
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

Nominated for the David E. Newton Award
for Teaching Excellence, 2006 & 2007
Long Island University

Sam M. Walton Free Enterprise Fellow, 2001-2003

Anthony P. Cunliffe Award (Scholarship), 1996
Schulich School of Business, York University

First Year Entrance Scholarship, 1985
Richard Ivey School, University of Western Ontario

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score = 740 (97%-ile)

Life Member of Mensa

 

College Courses Studied

POSTGRADUATE COURSES

Long Island University - Department of Psychology

Research Design II

York University - Schulich School of Business

Qualitative Methods

Research Writing Practicum

Individual and Group Behavior

Advanced Quantitative Methods

Independent Study: Business Ethics

Advanced Topics in Organization Theory

Statistical Methods for Business Research

Independent Study: Humor in the Workplace

Philosophy and Method in the Social Sciences

GRADUATE COURSES

University of Minnesota - Department of Educational Psychology

Intelligence and Creativity

Education of the Gifted and Talented

University of Minnesota Duluth - Department of Education

Teaching Online

Assessment of Learning

Diversity and Social Justice

Principles of Adult Education

Educational Policy and Issues

Curriculum Theory and Design

Foundations of Education and Research

Ethics and Professionalism in Education

Indigenous Peoples and the Environment

American Indian Education Policy Development

Adolescent/Adult Development and Learning Theory

Long Island University - Department of Psychology

Tests & Measurement

Practicum in Psychology

Therapeutic Intervention

History of Psychotherapy

Professional Issues & Ethics

Psychology Independent Study

Introduction to Clinical Psychology

Contemporary Psychological Theory

York University - School of Graduate Studies

Philosophy of Psychotherapy

University Teaching and Learning

Systemic Approaches to Interpersonal Change

Western University - Department of Philosophy

Special Topics in Values Theory: Interpretation

Western University- Ivey Business School

Business Policy

Interpersonal Skills

Managers of Change

End User Computing

Finance for Managers

Management Science

Management Behavior

Marketing Management

Operations Management

Economics for Managers

Managerial Communication

Accounting for Management

Legal Environment of Business

Human Resource Management

Political Environment of Business

Special Topics: Creative Leadership

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

University of Toronto - Woodsworth College

East Asian Religions

Confucian Philosophy

Religion: East and West

Religious Consciousness

Religious Self-Deception

Jung's Theories of Religion

Introduction to Psychology

The New Religions of Japan

Freud's Theories of Religion

Introductory New Testament

Comparative World Religions

Introductory Psychology of Religion

Wilfrid Laurier University - Faculty of Arts

Ethical Theories

Business Ethics

Introductory Logic

Digital Electronics I

Problems of the Self

The Physics of Music

Existentialist Themes

Basic Christian Ethics

The Philosophy of Law

Basic Materials in Theory

Introduction to Sociology

The Quest for World Peace

Logic and Critical Thinking

Models of Human Intelligence

Introduction to Logic & Algebra

Philosophy and Contemporary Life I

Philosophy and Contemporary Life II

Wilfrid Laurier University - School of Business & Economics

Business Law

Basic Statistics

Decision Analysis

Personnel Management

Administrative Practices

Organizational Behavior

Computer Fundamentals

Financial Management II

Introduction to Marketing

Introduction to Economics

Logic and Critical Thinking

Enterprise and Public Policy

Working Capital Management

Intermediate Microeconomics

Interpersonal Communication

Intermediate Macroeconomics

Theories of Economic Regulation

Accounting: Basic Decision Process

Introduction to Financial Accounting

Introduction to Business Organization

Industrial Relations and the Labor Market

Industrial Organization: Competition Policy

Industrial Organization: Theory and Evidence

Business & Economics in the Greco-Roman Period