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Bridgette Martin Hard

Professor of the Practice of Psychology and Neuroscience
Psychology & Neuroscience
417 Chapel Drive, Box 90086, 249 Reuben-Cooke Building, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


To learn more about Bridgette Hard, visit the BriteLab website.

Dr. Bridgette Hard is a Professor of the Practice in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University as well as the Director of Undergraduate Studies for Psychology. Her first professional passion is teaching. She specializes in curriculum development for introductory psychology, the first (and often only) course that students take within the discipline. She has also devoted herself to helping PhD students and advanced undergraduates to develop their teaching skills and discover creative ways to integrate research and teaching. Dr. Hard also co-organizes two conferences for psychology teachers, the Psychology One Conference and the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology (NITOP).

Dr. Hard’s second professional passion is exploring the intersection of psychology and pedagogy: She uses data from the classroom to extend psychological theories and uses insights from psychology to inform new classroom practices. Her research is conducted in collaboration with psychologists from diverse institutions around the U.S.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Professor of the Practice of Psychology and Neuroscience · 2022 - Present Psychology & Neuroscience, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Director of Undergraduate Studies of Psychology and Neuroscience · 2019 - Present Psychology & Neuroscience, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

In the News


Published October 1, 2024
Judith Deckers Prize Finalists Announced
Published September 20, 2021
Arts & Sciences Teaching Awards Celebrate Excellence Across the College
Published September 23, 2019
Is Stress Always Bad?

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Recent Publications


Social norms govern what behaviors come to mind-And what do not.

Journal Article Journal of personality and social psychology · June 2023 It is well known that norms influence behavior. Beyond simply shaping what people do, we argue that norms constrain what behaviors even come to mind as options, effectively excluding counternormative behaviors from consideration. We test this hypothesis ac ... Full text Cite

Uncovering the structure of metaphorical lay theories of teaching II: What do different teaching metaphors imply about students?

Journal Article Metaphor and the Social World · October 20, 2022 Metaphor plays a critical role in how people communicate and conceptualize complex activities like teaching. For example, a professor might be described as molding impressionable students (teacher as a sculptor), or helping students grow (teacher as a gard ... Full text Cite

Developing Collaborative Thinkers: Rethinking how we Define, Teach, and Assess Class Participation

Journal Article Teaching of Psychology · April 1, 2022 Introduction: Class participation is a common component of many college classes and is typically defined as involving students’ active, oral engagement in class. Statement of the Problem: Class participation is often an under-utilized pedagogical tool for ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


An experimental study of the impact of smartphones on classroom enjoyment, attention, and learning

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Association for Psychological Science · 2020 - 2022

Causal impact of smartphones on attention, enjoyment, and learning in the classroom

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Society for Personality and Social Psychology · 2019 - 2021

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Education, Training & Certifications


Stanford University · 2006 Ph.D.
Furman University · 2001 B.S.