Martha Spiker

Martha Spiker, Ph.D.

Professor of Psychology and Chair, Department of Social Sciences

Tel: 304-357-4772
mspiker@ucwv.edu

Education

  • Ph.D. (1984) and M.S. (1980) in Experimental Psychology, Ohio University
  • B.A. (1977) West Virginia University

Research and Publications

  1. Spiker, M. S., & Bayly, M. J. (2011, June). The challenges and benefits associated with participation in Excellence in Mobility; A U.S. Department of Education grant for undergraduate study abroad. Poster presentation at the Eastern Conference on the Teaching of Psychology, Staunton, VA.
  2. Bayly, M.J., & Spiker, M.S. (2011, May). A Terror Management Theory explanation of the influences of mortality salience and religiosity on perceptions of terrorism. Paper presented at the University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary and the Warsaw School for the Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland.
  3. Bayly, M.J., & Spiker, M.S. (2010, March). TMT-driven intolerance: A potential explanation for anti-Obama attitudes. Paper presented at the 81th Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, New York, NY.
  4. Bayly, M.J., & Spiker, M.S. (2009, March). The impact of confronting a devout follower of an out-group religion: Increasing the need to engage cultural worldview defenses. Presented at the 80th Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Pittsburgh, PA.
  5. Spiker, M. S., & Bayly, M. J. (2008, January). Using campus crime data to teach statistical interpretation skills. Paper presented at the 30th Annual National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Pete Beach, FL.
  6. Bayly, M. J., & Spiker, M. S., (2008, January). Increasing students’ understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of psychology and the law through an exercise in ethics. Paper presented at the 30th Annual National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Pete Beach, FL.
  7. Bayly, M.J., & Spiker, M.S. (2007, March). When the devout are confronted with the devout of another faith: The disparaging effects of heightened religious worldview defenses. Presented at the 78th Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Philadelphia, PA.
  8. Bayly, M. J., & Spiker, M. S. (2006, May). Mortality salience and perceptions of threat from out-group targets. Paper presented at the 18th Annual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science, New York, NY.
  9. Spiker, M. S., & Bayly, M. J. (2006, May). Preparing for an external review: Timeline and data requirements. Paper presented at the 13th Annual APS-STP Teaching Institute, New York, NY.
  10. Spiker, M. S., & Bayly, M. J. (2006, March). Terror management theory and perceptions of a stranger: The biasing effect of mortality salience. Paper presented at the 77th Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Baltimore, MD.
  11. Spiker, M. S., & Bayly, M. J. (2005, March). Just world beliefs and empathy: Effects on acquaintance rape judgments. Paper presented at the 51st Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Nashville, TN.
  12. Bayly, M. J., & Spiker, M. S. (2004, May). Terrorism as a course to stimulate critical thinking. Paper presented at the 11th Annual APS-STP Teaching Institute, Chicago, IL.
  13. Bayly, M. J., & Spiker, M. S. (2004, April). Under what conditions do jurors perceive the victim of acquaintance rape as a victim: The impact of rape trauma syndrome pattern and belief in a just world. Paper presented at the 75th Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.
  14. Spiker, M. S., & Bayly, M. J. (2003, March). Juror decision making in acquaintance rape: Creating victim empathy regardless of rape trauma syndrome pattern. Paper presented at the 74th Annual Meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Baltimore, MD.
  15. Spiker, M. S., & Cipoletti, B. (2003, January). What does it mean? Paper presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Central Regional Conference, Indianapolis, IN.
  16. Spiker, M. S., & Bayly, M. J. (2003, January). Utilizing service learning in a variety of contexts within the psychology major. Paper presented at the 25th Annual National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Petersburg, FL.
  17. Bayly, M. J., & Spiker, M. S. (2003, January). The much maligned pop quiz: How to improve its image and simultaneously benefit the student. Paper presented at the 25th Annual National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Petersburg, FL.
  18. Spiker, M. S., & Bayly, M. J. (2002, June). A strategy to improve performance in lower-level required psychology courses. Paper presented at the 9th Annual APS/STP Teaching Institute, New Orleans, LA.
  19. Bayly, M. J., & Spiker, M. S. (2002, March). Expert testimony and acquaintance rape: Impact on juror decision making. Poster presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Orlando, FL.
  20. Spiker, M. S., & Bayly, M. J. (2001, January). Utilizing the Internet to improve tracking and assessment of psychology department alumni. Paper presented at the 23rd Annual National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Petersburg, FL.

Interests and Hobbies

I enjoy traveling and vacationing with my husband, Mike, both in the U.S. and abroad. I also enjoy gardening and entertaining friends and family. Our children, Drew and Alison, are both young adults. Drew is employed and living in Arlington, VA. Alison was married in December 2010 to Grant Morris and they are both currently in Charleston completing their third-year clinical rotations for West Virginia University School of Medicine.

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