Social & Behavioral Sciences

Welcome to the division of social and behavioral sciences (SBS)! SBS at Holy Family includes courses in psychology, sociology, criminal justice, and political science. Courses in the social and behavioral sciences focus on understanding human behavior within social, political, cultural, and historical contexts. Our course offerings are diverse and reflect the diversity of interests and experiences of our faculty. We offer minors in all four subject areas and majors in psychology, sociology, and criminal justice.

There are 8 full-time faculty members who teach within the SBS division and we are lucky to also have a staff of adjunct faculty whose work experiences significantly enhance their teaching effectiveness and our curriculum. Our faculty is committed to advising and we look forward to answering your questions about courses, careers, and your future. 

If you would like further information about our programs or would like to speak to someone about SBS, you may contact either the SBS Coordinator, Dr. Stacy McDonald or the Dean of Arts & Sciences, Dr. Michael Markowitz.    

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Faculty Profiles

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Faculty

Michael Markowitz, PhD, DeanMichael W. Markowitz, PhD
 Title:  Professor of Criminal Justice
Education:  
BA in Criminal Justice/Political Science, Stockton College
MA in Criminal Justice, Rutgers University
MA, Ph.D. in Sociology, Temple University
Dissertation title: Theoretical Progress in Criminology: A Qualitative Analysis of Major Research Traditions
Office: Holy Family Hall 323D
Phone: 267-341-3286
email: mmarkowitz@holyfamily.edu
Courses taught:  Introduction to the Criminal Justice System; Victimology; Criminal Law; Corrections; Court System and Court Procedure; Research Methods in Criminal Justice; Introduction to Sociology
Recent Publications/Presentations:
Markowitz, M.W., & Salvatore, C. (2009). Exploring race based differences in patterns of life-course criminality. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Boston, MA.

Hirschinger-Blank, N., & Markowitz, M.W. (2006). An evaluation of a pilot service-learning course for criminal justice undergraduate students. Journal of Criminal Justice Education,17(1), 1-18.

Markowitz, M.W., & Salvatore, C. (2005). Changing situational decision-making among offenders: A preliminary analysis. Corrections Compendium, 30(2), 1-3, 30-31.

Markowitz, M.W. (2003). There’s no place like home: An empirical test of the “safe haven” hypothesis. Corrections Compendium, 28(1), 1-4, 29-30.

Markowitz, M.W., & Jones-Brown, D.D. (Eds.) (2000). The system in black and white: Exploring the connections between race, crime and justice. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.

Areas of interest: My main area of research interest is the study of the impact of race on social development, the onset of criminality and the mechanisms of social justice.  
 
Other roles:   Mentor in the First-Year Experience Program; Member of the Academic Assessment Committee, Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Undergraduate Research.


FacultyStacy A. McDonald, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor of Psychology
Education:
BA in Psychology, Holy Family University
MA in Psychology, University of Delaware
PhD in Psychology (Social Concentration), University of Delaware
Dissertation title: Commitment Processes in Interracial and Intraracial Romantic Relationships: An Extension of the Investment Model
Office: 308B Holy Family Hall
Phone: 215 637-7700, ext. 3549
email: smcdonald1040@holyfamily.edu
Courses taught: General Psychology, Social Psychology, Research Methods, Advanced Research Methods, Statistics
Recent Publications/Presentations:  Direso, S.A., & Gaertner, S.L.  (2007, May).  Relationship processes in normative and non-normative romantic relationships.  Poster presented at the nineteenth annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Washington, DC. 
Areas of interest: I am interested in examining what predicts commitment in marginalized and non-marginalized romantic relationships. 

Other roles:  Co-moderator, Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology; Assessment Coordinator, Social & Behavioral Sciences division.


FacultyStephen E. Medvec, PhD
Title: Associate Professor of Political Science
Education:
BA in History-Political Science, University of Montana
Fulbright Scholar, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
MA in Political Science, University of Montana
PhD in Political Science, Temple University
Dissertation title: Obstacles to Economic Integration in Post Communist East Central Europe: A Case Study of the Czech/Slovak Republics and Poland
Office: Holy Family Hall 304
Phone: 267-341-3639
email: smedvec@holyfamily.edu
Courses taught:Introductory Politics; American National Government; The Presidency; Introduction to International Relations; American Political Parties; Political Thought; Constitutional Law; Women, Law, & Politics; Comparative Political Systems; Issues in Contemporary American Foreign Policy; International Law & Organization
Recent Publications/Presentations:
Medvec, S. (2009).  The European Union and expansion to the East:  Aspects of accession, problems, and prospects for the future.  International Social Science Review, 84 (1 & 2), 66-83.

Medvec, S. (2009).  Dred Scott case.  Encyclopedia of race and crime.  Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage Publications.

Medvec, S.  (2008, November).  The legacy of 1968:  The Prague spring, the invasion of Czechoslovakia, and Poland’s March events.  Paper presented at the meeting of the Northeastern Political Science Association, Boston, MA.

Medvec, S. (2006, June).  Is the death penalty cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution?  Address given to the National Association of Student Councils (NASC), Philadelphia, PA.

Areas of interest:American politics, the presidency, political parties, and constitutional law; the United Nations, international relations, international law, international commercial law, environmental politics, law of the sea; foreign languages (Czech, French, German, Polish); European politics, European Union, former Soviet-bloc states and the transition from communism to democracy and free-market economies.

Other roles: I am the faculty advisor for Pi Gamma Mu, International Honor Society in Social Sciences, and I serve as the Pre-Law Advisor.  I am married to Alexandra, whom I met during my studies in Poland.


FacultyMegan L. Meyer, PhD
Title: Associate Professor of Psychology
Education:
BA in Psychology, The College of New Jersey
MA in Experimental Psychology, Temple University
PhD in Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Temple University
Dissertation title: The perception of non-linear apparent motion paths in displays with obstacles: Evidence for a general solidity constraint and object specific motions.
Office: Holy Family Hall 310
Phone: 267-341-3254
email: mmeyer@holyfamily.edu
Courses taught: General Psychology; Psychology as a Natural Science; Statistics for Social Sciences; Sensation and Perception; Learning; Research Methods; Junior Seminar; Seminar: Contemporary Issues in Psychology.
Recent Publications/Presentations:
DellaPietra, L., Meyer, M.L., McDonald, S., & Wiechnik, M.  (2010, January).  Do students overestimate their contribution to class?  Accuracy of self-rated class participation.  Poster submission accepted to the 32nd Annual Meeting of the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology, St. Pete Beach, FL.

Meyer, M.L. & Shipley, T.F.  (2004, May).  The perception of non-linear apparent motion paths in displays with obstacles: Evidence for a general solidity constraint and object specific motions. Poster presented at the meeting of the Vision Sciences Society (VSS), Sarasota, FL.

Areas of interest:Teaching interests include Introductory Psychology, Sensation and Perception, Learning, and Statistics.  Research interests include perceived path of apparent motion, biological motion, intermittent punishment, and perceived facial attractiveness.

Other roles:  Co-moderator, Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Club and Environmental Club; Co-moderator, Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology; Faculty chaperone for Habitat for Humanity Alternative Spring Break trips to New Orleans, LA (2007), Miami, FL (2008), Corpus Christi, TX (2009), and Spokane, WA (2010).


FacultyJenai Grigg, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor of Sociology
Education:
BA in Psychology, Rosemont College
BA in Sociology, Rosemont College
MS in Gerontology, University of Massachusetts, Boston
PhD in Gerontology, University of Massachusetts, Boston
Dissertation title: Social Predictors of Driving Cessation among Older Adults:  Understanding the Driving Continuum
Office: Holy Family Hall 308B
Phone: 267-341-3443
email: jmurtha@holyfamily.edu
Courses taught: Introductory Sociology; Social Theory; Marriage and Family; Race, Class, and Gender; Contemporary Social Issues; Aging in America; Sociology of the City; Research Methods; Senior Seminar
Recent Publications/Presentations:
Murtha, J. (2007, March).  Social predictors of driving cessation among older adults: Understanding the driving continuum.  Paper presented at the meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, New York, NY.

Silverstein, N. M., Sullivan, D. M., Murtha, J., & Jawad, M. H. (2005). The value of a gerontology certificate: A survey of Frank J. Manning alumni, 1980-2001. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 26(2), 51-68.

Eberhard, J.W., & Murtha, J. (2004).  Older persons’ driving and transportation needs: Key points from a National Telephone Survey.  Journal of Safety Research, 22.

Eberhard, J.W., & Murtha, J. (2003).  Older persons’ driving and transportation needs: A National Telephone survey and professional survey, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Institute Report.

Silverstein, N.M., Moorhead, J., & Murtha, J. (2001). Reflections on the action research in Gerontology: Faculty, student, and community partner. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 22(3), 11-32.

Silverstein, N.M., & Murtha, J. (2001).  Driving in Massachusetts: When to stop and who should decide, University of Massachusetts Boston Gerontology Institute and Center Institute Report. 

Areas of interest:My current research focus is caregiver burden.  Pedagogically, I am interested in the development and implementation of Service-Learning courses.  When not at school, I enjoy traveling the world, with and without students.

Other roles: Co-moderator, Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Club and Environmental Clubs; Co-chair, Development Committee; Member, General Education Committee; Faculty advisor, Pi Gamma Mu; Faculty mentor, First-Year Experience Program; Faculty coordinator,  Rostro de Cristo Ecuadorian retreat; Faculty coordinator, Study Abroad trip to China in July, 2009.


FacultyLeanne R. Owen, PhD
Title: Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
Director, Graduate program in Criminal Justice
Education:
BA in Political Science, University of Kansas
MA in Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Wales
PhD in Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Wales
Dissertation title: Courting Justice In and Out of Court: The Prosecution of Juvenile Offenders in the United States
Office: Holy Family Hall 304
Phone: 267-341-3550
email: lowen@holyfamily.edu
Courses taught:  Introduction to the Criminal Justice System; Nature of Crime and Delinquency; Victimology; Corrections; Juveniles and the Law; Introduction to Criminal Investigation; Court System and Court Procedure; Advanced Research Methods in Criminal Justice; Seminar in Criminal Justice; Special Topic: Crime and Punishment in Great Britain; Understanding Violence in Schools
Recent Publications/Presentations:
Owen, L. (2009).  Juvenile violence.  In H.T. Greene & S.L. Gabbidon (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Race and Crime.  Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.

Owen, L. (2008). School violence.  In G. Barak (Ed.), Battleground: Criminal justice. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Owen, L. (2007, March).  A perspective on juvenile crime and the murder rate in Philadelphia. Paper presented at the meeting of the Phi Beta Kappa Association of the Delaware Valley.

Owen, L. (2006). Prosecuting juvenile offenders.  In B. Sims & P. Preston (Eds.), The handbook of juvenile justice: Theory and practice.  NY: Taylor and Francis.

Areas of interest:Prosecutorial discretion; juvenile delinquency and juvenile justice; school violence.

Other roles: Mentor in the First-Year Experience Program; Faculty moderator of Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society; Study Abroad trip to London with a “Crime and Punishment in Great Britain” theme in May, 2007.


FacultyDanny Pirtle, PhD
Title: Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
Education:
BS in Interdisciplinary Studies, Tennessee State University
MS in Juvenile Justice, Prairie View A&M University
PhD, Department of Juvenile Justice and Psychology, Prairie View, A&M University
Dissertation title:  The Role of Placement in Reducing Juvenile Female Recidivism
Office: Holy Family Hall 315
Phone: 267-341-3468
email: dpirtle@holyfamily.edu
Courses taught: Probation and Parole; American Criminal Justice System; Research Methods for Criminal Justice; Juvenile Delinquency; Ethics in Criminal Justice; Juvenile Justice; Race and Crime; Women, Law, and Social Control; Comparative Criminal Justice Systems; Organized and Organizational Crime; Women in the Criminal Justice System; Corrections; Juveniles and the Law.
Recent Publications/Presentations:
Rodriguez, J., & Pirtle, D. (2009). Crime and delinquency: Latinos in the United States. International Journal of Crime, Criminal Justice and Law 3,(2).
 
“The Juvenile Justice System.” Presentation to the YWCA of Bucks County (Summer, 2009).

 “Youth Violence.” Presentation to the Girls and Boys Club of Camden (Spring, 2008).

“Girls in the Juvenile Justice System.” Presentation to the Creative Arts High School of Camden (Spring, 2008).

Pirtle, D. (2006).  The Texas Family Code (Juvenile Law): What are my rights and obligations when my child is arrested?  Paper presented at theJuvenile Justice and Psychology Symposium, Prairie View, TX. 

Areas of interest:Female delinquency, juvenile program evaluation/recidivism, race, gender, and crime issues, and crime policy.  My career purpose is to teach and undertake research in the area of juvenile/criminal justice and criminology.  I do not see a rigid dividing line between research and teaching.  Good teachers need to be at the cutting edge of recent scholarship in order to help students see the vitality of our work.  Social science is not just a collection of facts, but rather an area of puzzling ideas, contradictions, and new areas of inquiry.

Other roles: Criminal Justice Internship Facilitator

Related Links
POLITICAL SCIENCE
American Society of International Law: www.asil.org
American Political Science Association: www.apsa.org
Pi Gamma Mu, International Honor Society in Social Sciences: www.pigammamu.org

SOCIOLOGY
Eastern Sociological Society: www.essnet.org
American Sociological Association: www.asanet.org
Rostro de Cristo Ecuadorian retreat: www.rostrodecristo.org

CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society: www.alphaphisigma.org
Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences: www.acjs.org
American Society of Criminology: www.asc41.com
Victim-Offender Mediation Association: www.voma.org  
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: ojjdp.ncjrs.org

PSYCHOLOGY
American Psychological Association: www.apa.org
APA Careers in Psychology: www.apa.org/students/student1.html
Eastern Psychological Association: www.easternpsychological.org
Graduate School in Psychology: www.apa.org/students/student3.html
Habitat for Humanity: www.habitat.org
International Association for Relationship Research: www.iarr.org
Library Handouts: www.holyfamily.edu/library/handouts.shtml
National Academy of Neuropsychology: www.nanolnine.org
Philadelphia Neuropsychology Society: www.pns-pa.org
Social Psychology Network: www.socialpsychology.org/
Society for Personality and Social Psychology: www.spsp.org
The American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology: www.theaacn.org
Careers in Psychology: www.allpsychologycareers.com


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