Christopher Wolsko is an associate professor of psychology. He has a broad array of intersecting research interests in ecopsychology; self, identity, and social comparison; stereotyping and prejudice; and the sociocultural construction of mental and behavioral health. His current collaborations with scholars in counseling, anthropology, outdoor education, forest social science, and public health examine the multifaceted nature of contemporary social, environmental, and mental health issues. Grounded in his early career work on the consequences of dominant group ideologies for interethnic relations, his research assumes that “being well” is a culturally-rooted endeavor, and that a one-size-fits-all approach to health promotion risks marginalizing the lives of individuals whose voices do not drive the prevailing public health discourse. Dr. Wolsko teaches courses in social and environmental psychology, research methods, and religion.

Courses Taught

Social
Cultural
Personality
Conservation
Religion & Spirituality
Stereotyping & Prejudice
Advanced Social Research Methods

Research

Ecopsychology
Self, identity, and social comparison
Stereotyping, prejudice, and intergroup relations
Sociocultural construction of mental and behavioral health

Selected Publications

Wolsko, C., Marino, E., Doherty, T., Fisher, S., Goodwin, B., Green, A., et al. (2016). Systems of access: A multidisciplinary strategy for assessing the social dimensions of sustainability. Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy, 12(1), 88-100.

Marino, E., Wolsko, C., Keys, S. G., & Pennavaria, L. (2016). A culture gap in the United States: Implications for policy on limiting access to firearms for suicidal persons. Journal of Public Health Policy, 37(1), 110-121.

Wolsko, C., Ariceaga, H., & Seiden, J. (2016). Red, white, and blue enough to be green: Effects of moral framing on climate change attitudes and conservation behaviors. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 65, 7-19.

Lardon, C.*, Wolsko, C.*, Trickett, E., Henry, D., & Hopkins, S. (2016). Assessing health in an Alaska Native cultural context: The Yup’ik wellness survey. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 22(1), 126-136.

Bersamin, A., Wolsko, C., Luick, B., Boyer, B., Lardon, C., Hopkins, S. Stern, J.S., & Zidenberg-Cherr, S. (2014). Enculturation, perceived stress, and physical activity: Implications for metabolic risk among the Yup’ik – The Center for Alaska Native Health Research Study. Ethnicity & Health, 19(3), 255-269.

Wolsko, C., & Lindberg, K. (2013). Experiencing connection with nature: The matrix of psychological well-being, mindfulness, and outdoor recreation. Ecopsychology, 5(2), 80-91.

Wolsko, C., & Hoyt., K. (2012). Employing the restorative capacity of nature: Pathways to practicing ecotherapy among mental health professionals. Ecopsychology, 4(1), 10-24.

Wolsko, C., Lardon, C., Hutchison, S., & Ruppert, E. (2006). Conceptions of wellness among the Yup’ik of the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta: The vitality of social and natural connection. Ethnicity & Health, 11(4), 345-363.

Wolsko, C., Park, B., & Judd, C. M. (2006). Considering the Tower of Babel: Correlates of assimilation and multiculturalism among ethnic minority and majority groups in the United States. Social Justice Research, 19(3), 277-306.

Wolsko, C., Park, B., Jud, C. M., & Wittenbrink, B. (2000). Framing interethnic ideology: Effects of multicultural and color-blind perspectives on judgments of groups and individuals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(4), 635-654.