Dr. Nancy A. Cheever

California State University, Dominguez Hills

Dr. Nancy A. Cheever

The George Marsh Applied Cognition (GMAC) Laboratory, which started in 2008, provides training in neuropsychological and psychophysiological research, and was founded by Dr. Cheever and her colleagues Dr. L. Mark Carrier and Dr. Larry D. Rosen with goals of enhancing research experiences and preparing students for graduate school. Under the leadership of Drs. Cheever, Carrier and Rosen, all undergraduate, graduate and faculty participants in the lab are true colleagues and collaborators. Despite limited resources, the lab features equipment that enables them to conduct experimental research, thus enhancing a student's chance at future academic endeavors. Students are matched with a mentor based on their research agendas. Students are required to participate in the CSUDH Student Research Day and are encouraged to participate in other scholarly projects, including presentations at highly regarded professional conferences. Students regularly receive awards and scholarships for their research, and collaborate on publications with undergraduate and graduate student work appearing in Communication Research, Computers in Human Behavior, Developmental Review, International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, and Educational Psychology. Dr. Cheever also collaborated with students on three book chapters, one in a handbook and the other two in an adolescent mental health textbook.

During their twice-a-week meetings, the mentors provide feedback on student research and conduct workshops on statistics and research protocol, personal statements and CVs, GRE training, mock interviews and more. They review student projects, personal statements and resumes, and train students in using the various neuroscience equipment. Most students in the lab attend graduate school, and 19 students have entered Ph.D. programs and 12 have entered master's programs. Three past GMACers are now professors with their own research labs.  

Dr. Cheever's research on smartphones and anxiety has been featured on the television programs 60 Minutes, Good Morning America, America Inside Out with Katie Couric, the Netflix series Follow This and BBC's Panorama. In her research segments, students from the lab assist with data collection, organization, output preparation, and running the experiments. Because of this exposure, the lab also trains students to talk to the media about science.

Dr. Cheever received CSUDH's 2018 Presidential Outstanding Professor Award, and is honored to receive the 2018 FILA award.

The following are collaborative projects involving Dr. Cheever and current and former students from the GMAC lab (student names are highlighted):

Book Chapters

Cheever, N. A., Rosen, L.R. & Peviani, K. (March 2018). Media multitasking and mental health. In Moreno, M. and Radovic, A. (Eds.), Technology and Adolescent Mental Health, (pp. 101-112), Springer.

Cheever, N. A. & Rokkum, J. (May 2015). Internet credibility and digital media literacy. In L. Rosen, N. A. Cheever and L. Mark Carrier (Eds), The Wiley Handbook of Psychology, Technology, and Society (pp. 56-73). Hoboken, N. J.: Wiley-Blackwell.

Peer Reviewed Academic Journal Articles

Rosen, L. D., Carrier, L. M., Pedroza, J. A., Elias, S., O'Brien, K. M., Lozano, J, Kim, K., Cheever, N. A., Bentley, J. & Ruiz. A. (2018). The role of executive functioning and technological anxiety (FOMO) in college course performance as mediated by technology usage and multitasking habits. Psicología Educativa, 24(1), 14-25.

Carrier, L. M., Rosen, L. D., Cheever, N. A., & Lim, A. (2015). Causes, effects, and practicalities of everyday multitasking. Developmental Review, 3(23), 35.

Cheever, N. A., Rosen, L. D., Carrier, L, M., & Chavez, A. (2014). Out of sight is not out of mind: The impact of restricting wireless mobile device use on anxiety among low, moderate and high users. Computers in Human Behavior, 37, 290-297.

Rosen, L. D., Lim, A. F., Felt, J., Carrier L. M., Cheever, N. A., Lara-Ruiz, J., Mendoza, J., & Rokkum, J. (2014). Media and technology use predicts ill-being among children, preteens and teenagers independent of the negative health impacts of exercise and eating habits. Computers in Human Behavior, 35, 364-375.

Rosen, L.D., Whaling, K., Carrier, L.M., Cheever, N. A. & Rokkum, J. (2013). The media and technology usage and attitudes scale: An empirical investigation. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 2501-2511.

Rosen, L. D., Whaling, K., Rab, S. A., Carrier, L. M. & Cheever, N. A. (2013). Is Facebook creating "iDisorders"? The link between clinical symptoms of psychiatric disorders and technology use, attitudes and anxiety. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(3), 1243-1254.

Carrier, L. M., Rab, S. S., Rosen, L. D, Vasquez, L., & Cheever, N. A. (2012). Pathways for learning from 3D technology. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, 7(1), 53-69.

Rosen, L. D., Lim, A. F., Carrier, L. M., & Cheever, N. A. (2011). An empirical examination of the educational impact

of text message-induced task switching in the classroom: Educational implications and strategies to enhance learning. Educational Psychology, 17(2), 163-177.

Rosen, L. D., Chang, J., Erwin, L., Carrier, L. M., & Cheever, N. A. (2009). The relationship between "textisms" and formal and informal writing among young adults. Communication Research, 37(3), 420-440.

Carrier, L. M., Cheever, N. A., Rosen, L. D., Benitez, S., & Chang, J. (2009). Multitasking across generations: Multitasking choices and difficulty ratings in three generations of Americans. Computers in Human Behavior, 25, 483-489.  

Rosen, L., Cheever, N., Felt, J., & Cummings, C. (2008). The impact of emotionality and self-disclosure on online dating versus traditional dating. Computers in Human Behavior, 24(5), 2124-2157. 

Conference Papers and Presentations

Lara-Ruiz, J., & Cheever, N. A. (2015, May 23). "Media and technology used to cope with posttraumatic stress disorder." Poster presented at the Association for Psychological Science Convention, New York, N.Y.

Lara-Ruiz, J. & Cheever, N. A. (2014, April 25). "Digital Media Use as a Mediating Factor Between PTSD and Academic Performance." Paper presented at the 2014 Western Psychological Association Convention, Portland, OR.

Rokkum, J. & Cheever, N. A. (2014, April 25). "Final Fantasy: Magical Thinking and Fantasy Proneness." Paper presented at the 2014 Western Psychological Association Convention, Portland, OR.

Rokkum J. & Cheever N.A. (2013, August). "Accepted Without Evidence: On Magical Thinking and Internet Usage." Poster Presentation for the American Psychological Association 121st Annual Convention, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Cheever, N. A., Pasquarella, F., & Chavez, A. (2013). "The absence of WMDs: Wireless mobile device dependency and anxiety levels." Paper presented at the 2013 Western Psychological Association Conference, April 26, 2013, Reno, NV.

Rokkum, J. N. & Cheever, N. A. (2013). "Accepted without evidence: Magical thinking and technology usage." Poster presented at the 2013 Western Psychological Association Conference, April 27, 2013, Reno, NV.

Cheever, N. A. & Spradlin, A. (2011). "Emotional and Attitudinal Responses to Viewing Sports Violence," paper presented at the 2011 American Psychological Association Conference, August 7, 2011, Washington, D.C.

Cheever, N. A., Spradlin, A. & Chavez, A. (2011). "Emotional Reactions to Viewing Mixed Martial Arts" paper presented at the 2011 Western Psychological Association Conference, May 1, 2011, Los Angeles, CA.

Rosen, L. D., Cheever, N. A., Cummings, C. & Felt, J. (2007). "How parental attachment influences teen online behavior," paper presented as part of a symposium at the 2007 Western Psychological Association Conference, May 3, 2007, Vancouver, Canada.

Albertella, M., Rosen L. D., Cheever, N. A., Cummings, C. & Felt, J. (2007). "Parental perceptions of teen MySpace behavior," presented at a symposium at the 2007 Western Psychological Association Conference, May 3, 2007, Vancouver, Canada.

Babcock, J. L., Rosen, L. D., Cheever, N. A., Cummings, C. & Felt, J. (2007). "The psychological impact of living life in a virtual world," presented at a symposium at the 2007 Western Psychological Association Conference, May 3, 2007, Vancouver, Canada.

Media Appearances (assisted by students)

Buzzfeed News X Netflix program "Follow This," (John Pappas, Director; Persephone W. McFadden, Associate Producer), Netflix, September 2018

"Panorama—Smartphones: The Dark Side," (Matthew Hill, producer), BBC, July 4, 2018

America Inside Out With Katie Couric, April 25, 2018, on National Geographic Channel. Victoria Thompson producer.

Good Morning America segment "Cell Phones Cause Anxiety," with correspondent TJ Holmes, July 28, 2017 on ABC. Cathy Becker, producer. Retrieved from: https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/excessivecellphone-anxiety-expertswarn/story?id=48842476

60 Minutes segment "Brain Hacking," with correspondent Anderson Cooper, April 9, 2017 on CBS. Guy Campanile, producer. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/brain-hacking-tech-insiders-60-minutes/

60 Minutes Overtime segment "Defining Your Day by What Pops up on The Screen," with Anderson Cooper, correspondent. Guy Campanile, producer. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/brain-hacking-tech-insiders-60-minutes/