Kelly A Cotter | Sacramento State

Contact Information

Name: Kelly A Cotter

Title: Assistant Professor

Office Location: Amador 363c

Email: cotterk@csus.edu

Office Phone: (916) 278-7594

Mailing Address: Sacramento State 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819-6007

Office Hours: Dr. Cotter is on leave for the spring 2014 semester. Office hours will resume in the fall semester.

Department : Psychology

Education

PhD: Social/Developmental Psychology, Brandeis University
MA: Social/Developmental Psychology, Brandeis University
BA: Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles

Courses that I teach

PSYC 008: Methods of Psychology
PSYC148 : Child Psychology
PSYC 150: Psychological Aspects of Adult Development and Aging
PSYC 151: Psychological Aspects of Death and Dying
PSYC 152: Psychological Aspects of Health, Wellness, and Illness
PSYC 251: Developmental Processes

Research Interests

I am primarily interested in health promotion, including psychosocial influences on health and health behaviors, as well as the physical and mental health outcomes of leading a healthy lifestyle. In addition, I am interested in how social relationships (both positive and negative) and personality can affect health behavior adoption and maintenance. I am currently studying the naturalistic adoption and maintenance of exercise and physical activity behavior across the lifespan. Currently I am collecting data from undergraduates examining predictors of physical activity behavior using the Transtheoretical Model. I am also beginning a project examining the daily physical activity and stress of older adults. In addition to these projects, I am currently collaborating on a project examining predictors of depression disclosure to doctors using the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Publications

Han, T. Y., & Cotter, K. A. (In press). Work stress and diabetes management among Korean workers. Journal of Managerial Psychology.

Cotter, K. A. (2014). Mastery & Control Beliefs. Encyclopedia of Sport and Exercise Psychology. (Invited entry).

Sherman, A. M., & Cotter, K. A. (2013). Well-being among older adults with OA: Direct and mediated patterns of control beliefs, optimism, and pessimism. Journal of Aging and Mental Health, 17(5), 595-608. doi 10.1080/13607863.2013.765831

Cotter, K. A., & Sherman, A. M. (2012). Exercising control: The longitudinal influence of exercise self-efficacy on perceived constraints in older adults with osteoarthritis. The Gerontologist.doi:10.1093/geront/gns143

Cotter, K. A. (2012). Health-related social control over physical activity: Interactions with age and sex [special issue]. Journal of Aging Research, 2012, 10 pages. Online publication. doi 10.1155/2012/321098

Garbato, M. C., & Cotter, K. A. (October/November 2011). The Psychology of Exercise. Health & Fitness Magazine, 11.

Cotter, K. A., & Lachman, M. E. (2010). No strain, no gain: Psychosocial predictors of physical activity across the adult lifespan. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 7, 584-594.

Cotter, K. A., & Lachman, M. E. (2010). Psychosocial and behavioral contributors to health: Age differences in physical disability are reduced by physical fitness. Psychology and Health, 25, 805-820. doi 10.1080/08870440902883212.

Luger, T. M., Cotter, K. A., & Sherman, A. M. (2009). It’s all in how you view it: Pessimism, social relations, and life satisfaction in older adults with osteoarthritis. Aging and Mental Health, 13, 635-647. doi 10.1080/13607860802534633

Cotter, K. A., & Sherman, A. M. (2008). Love hurts: The influence of social relations on exercise self-efficacy in older adults with osteoarthritis. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 16, 465-483.

Recent Conference Presentations

Sturgeon, K. M., Cotter, K. A., Alsshouse, D., & Wong, J. L. (2014, February). Validating a New Measure of Spirituality. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Austin, TX.

Cobb, R. D. J., Mueller, N., Schnapp, J. E., Lancaster, N. G., & Cotter, K. A. (2013, April). Finding the balance in exercise motivation: Examining decisional balance in relation to stages of change within the Transtheoretical Model. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Reno, NV.

Kerschner, B. J., Rodda, D. J., Lim, S., & Cotter, K. A. (2013, April). Healthy relationships: Social control as a contributing factor toward good health. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Reno, NV.

Padilla, C. R., Kassotakis, J. D., Martin, J. T., & Cotter, K. A. (2013, April). Just do it: Adopting and maintaining physical activity using the Transtheoretical Model and processes of change. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Reno, NV.

Sturgeon, K. M., & Cotter, K. A. (2013, April). Spirituality as an independent construct: Developing the measurement. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Reno, NV.

Cotter, K. A., Lancaster, N. G., & Kerschner, B. J. (2013, March). Friends with health benefits: A structural equation model examining age, social support, social control, self-efficacy, and physical activity. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Francisco, CA.

Cotter, K. A., Lancaster, N. G., Rodda, D. J., & Padilla, C. R. (2012, November). The interaction of health-related social control and exercise self-efficacy on physical activity. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, San Diego, CA.

Bohon, L. M., Cotter, K. A., Cello Jr., P. C., Whitehead, M., Clifford, K. L., Johnston, A., Kravitz, R. L., & Fernandez y Garcia, E. (2012, August). Public service announcements, the Theory of Planned Behavior and seeking mental health services. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Orlando, FL.

Cotter, K. A., Lancaster, N., Rodda, D., Padilla, C., Lee, S., Filipowski, A., Painter, K., Altholz, A., Garbato, M., McClendon, D., & Kassotakis, J. (2012, March). Motivation for physical activity: What makes us move? Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.

Cotter, K. A. (2012, March). How does culture impact our health and psychological well-being? In K. A. Cotter (Chair), How does culture impact our health and psychological well-being? Symposium presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, San Francisco, CA.

Cotter, K. A. (2012, February). Active aging: Honor they father and mother, but nag your brother. Paper presented at the University of California at Merced graduate and faculty colloquium series, Merced, CA. (Invited talk.)

Cotter, K. A., Mendiola, J. A., Javaid, S., & Garbato, M. (2012, January). Social support increases moderate and vigorous physical activity. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA.

Garbato, M., Cotter, K. A., & Meyers, L. (2012, January). Meet your meat: Psychological characteristics & dietary lifestyle. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, CA.

Cotter, K. A., & Lachman, M. E. (2011, November). Social relations and physical activity across the lifespan: Interactions with age and sex. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, Boston, MA.

Cotter, K. A., Brubaker, M., Edens, K. J., Filipowski, A. M., Garbato, M., Javaid, S., McCoy, D., Painter, K., Stroble, B., Valdez, H., & Lancaster, N. (2011, October). Vigorous versus moderate physical activity: An application of the Transtheoretical Model. Poster presented at the Second Annual Sacramento State University Psychology Research Celebration, Sacramento, CA.

Cotter, K. A., Javaid, S., Painter, K. M., & Altholz, R. (2011, October). Social relations and physical activity: Interactions with age. Poster presented at the Second Annual Sacramento State University Psychology Research Celebration, Sacramento, CA.

Mendiola, J., Cotter, K. A., & Rodda, D. (2011, October). Social relationships and personal control: Factors that influence stress across the lifespan. Poster presented at the Second Annual Sacramento State University Psychology Research Celebration, Sacramento, CA.

Cotter, K. A., Brubaker, M., Edens, K. J., Filipowski, A. M., Garbato, M., Javaid, S., McCoy, D., Painter, K., Stroble, B., & Valdez, H. (2011, April). Vigorous versus moderate physical activity: An application of the Transtheoretical Model. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Los Angeles, CA.

Mendiola, J. A., Javaid, S., Valdez, H., & Cotter, K. A. (2011, April). Physiological and affective stress differences in gender and culture. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Los Angeles, CA.

Cotter, K. A., & Lachman, M. E. (2011, April). Psychosocial and behavioral contributors to health: Age differences in physical disability are reduced by physical fitness. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the California Council on Gerontology & Geriatrics, Sacramento, CA.

Fernandez y Garcia, E., Bohon, L. M., Cotter, K., Cello, P., Steinwert, M., Whitehead, M., Clifford, K. C., & Kravitz, R. M. (2011, April). What influences targeted depression video viewers’ intentions to discuss depression? Poster presented at the Clinical and Translational Research and Education Meeting at the ACRT/SCTS Joint Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C.

Cotter, K. A., Javaid, S., & Painter, K. M. (2011, January). Social relations and physical activity: Interactions with age. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Antionio, TX.

Mendiola, J., & Cotter, K. A. (2011, January). Social relationships and personal control: Factors that influence stress across the lifespan. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Antionio, TX.

Professional Associations

Active Aging Lab

This semester the Active Aging Lab is examining how people adopt and maintain physical activity behaviors. If you would like to get involved, please visit the lab website:
http://activeaginglab.weebly.com

Eagle Lake