Dr. Craig C. Jackson
Dr. Craig C. Jackson is the Dean of the Birdsong School of Social Science at Virginia Wesleyan University.
Dr. Jackson earned his Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in Social and Personality Psychology from Florida Atlantic University and a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Florida. Prior to his appointment in the Psychology Department at VWU, he held faculty positions in the psychology departments at Randolph College and Lynchburg University. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Academic Effectiveness, and previously served as Chair of the Psychology Department at VWU.
Dr. Jackson teaches courses in social psychology, theories of motivation, industrial/organizational psychology, history of psychology, and research methods. In 2023, he was a recipient of the United Methodist Church General Board of Higher Education and Ministry Exemplary Teaching Award in recognition of his distinctive teaching career.
His research interests include several topics in the area of social cognition, particularly people’s use of behavioral variability information and its influence on trait attribution and the influence of cognitive errors and biases. He is an avid supporter of undergraduate research and has conducted numerous research projects with students on topics such as the personal, social, and racial identity, gossip, and procrastination. He frequently sponsors student presenters at the Virginia Association for Psychological Science (VAPS) conference and VWU’s Academic Symposium.
A Florida native, Dr. Jackson enjoys outdoor activities such as boating and fishing. He lives in Norfolk with his wife and three children.