Jennifer L. Cerully

Associate Behavioral and Social Scientist
Pittsburgh Office

Education

Ph.D. and M.S. in social psychology, University of Pittsburgh; B.S. in computer science and decision science, Carnegie Mellon University

Overview

Biography

Jennifer Cerully is a social psychologist and associate behavioral and social scientist at RAND. She is broadly interested in understanding health judgment and decision-making processes, communicating health information in usable ways, and developing strategies for encouraging adaptive health decisions. Cerully's current work at RAND addresses issues of insurance plan choices, mental health in civilian and military populations, obesity, and vaccination.

Research Focus

Selected Publications

Cerully, J. L., & Klein, W. M. P., "Effects of emotional state on behavioral responsiveness to personal risk feedback," Journal of Risk Research, 13:591-598, 2010

Klein, W. M. P., Lipkus, I. M., Scholl, S. M., McQueen, A., Cerully, J. L., & Harris, P. R., "Self-affirmation moderates effects of unrealistic optimism and pessimism on reactions to tailored risk feedback," Psychology & Health, 25:1195-1208, 2010

Klein, W. M. P., & Cerully, J. L., "Health-related risk perception and decision-making: Lessons from the study of motives in social psychology," Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 1:224-258, 2007

Cerully, J. L., Klein, W. M. P., & McCaul, K. D., "Lack of acknowledgment of fruit and vegetable recommendations among non-adherent individuals: Associations with information processing and cancer cognitions," Journal of Health Communication, 11:103-115, 2006