Gayle S. Stever, Ph.D.

Professor

Office address:

Empire State College/SUNY
680 Westfall Rd
Rochester, NY 14620
585-224-3200
gayle.stever@esc.edu

A. General Information

Appointed full time (Empire State College/SUNY) August, 2009

Educational Background: 

Ph.D.  1994   Arizona State University     Lifespan Development Psychology
M.C.   1990   Arizona State University     Counseling Psychology
M.Ed. 1989   Arizona State University     Counselor Education
B.M.   1977   Arizona State University     Choral/General Music Education

Professional Experience:

2020-present             Empire State College/SUNY, Professor
2014-2020                 Empire State College/SUNY, Associate Professor
2009-2014                 Empire State College/SUNY, Assistant Professor
2006-2009                 Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus, Clinical Assistant Professor
2003-2006                 Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus, Senior Lecturer
1994-2003                 Arizona State University, Faculty Associate
1995-2001                 Northern Arizona University Satellite, Instructor
1995-2003                 Various Arizona Community Colleges
1988-1994                 Arizona State University, Graduate Assistant
1978-1994                 Various positions teaching music K-12

Awards:

Susan H. Turben Award for Excellence in Scholarship presented by Empire State College in April, 2017.

World Symposium on Life Long Learning and Sustainable Development, Malta, March 2-5, 2017, Top Three papers with Lorraine Lander.

Eastern Communication Associate, 2016, Top Three Papers panel for Mass Communication at the annual meeting.

Empire State College Scholar across the College for 2014-15

Eastern Communication Association, 2010, Top Three Papers panel for Mass Communication at the annual meeting.

1993-1994 Award for Excellence in Instruction:  Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Arizona State University, Division of Psychology in Education, Tempe, AZ.

B. Scholarly Activity:

Books:

Stever, G., Giles, D.C., Cohen, J.D., & Myers, M.E. (2022). Understanding media psychology. London: Routledge. (in press)

Stever, G. (2019). The psychology of celebrity. London: Routledge.

Book Chapters:

Stever, G. (2021). How do parasocial relationships with celebrities contribute to our development across the lifespan? In Shakleford, K. (Ed.) (in press). Real Characters: The Psychology of Parasocial Relationships with Media Characters. Fielding Graduate University Press.

Stever, G. (2020). Evolutionary psychology and mass media. In Shackelford, T.K. (Ed.). (in press). The Sage Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology. London: Sage Publications.

Publications (peer reviewed):

Stever, G. (2019). Fan studies in psychology: A road less traveled. Transformative Works and Cultures. no. 30. https://doi.org/10.3983/twc.2019.1641.

Stever, G. (2019). Parasocial theory in communication. In Oxford Bibliographies in Communication. Ed. Patricia Moy. New York: Oxford University Press, revision published November 26, 2019.

Tukachinsky R. & Stever, G. (2019) Theorizing development of parasocial experiences. Communication Theory. https://doi.org/10.1093/ct/qty032

Lander, L. & Stever, G. (2017). Social media and lifelong learning for sustainable development.p 143-154. Handbook of Lifelong Learning for Sustainable Development, eds. W Leal Filho, M Mifsud, P Pace. Springer DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-63534-7_10

Stever, G. (2017). Oxford Bibliographies in Communication: “Parasocial Theory in Communication” published on their web site. By invitation DOI: 10.1093/OBO/9780199756841-0181

Stever, G. S. (2017). Evolutionary theory and reactions to mass media: Understanding parasocial attachment. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 6(2), 95-102.

Stever, G. (2017). Parasocial theory: Concepts and measures. International Encyclopedia of Media Effects. Wiley Blackwell. (Invited) DOI: 10.1002/9781118783764.wbieme0069

Stever, G. (2016). Meeting Josh Groban (again): Fan/Celebrity contact as ordinary behavior. International Association for the Study of Popular Music Journal, 6(1), 104-120.

Stever, G. & Lawson, K. (2013). Twitter as a way for celebrities to communicate with fans: Implications for the study of parasocial interaction. North American Journal of Psychology, 15(2), 597-612.

Stever, G. (2013). Mediated vs. parasocial relationships: An attachment perspective. Journal of Media Psychology, 17(3), 1-31.

Stever, G. (2011). 1989 vs. 2009: A comparative analysis of music superstars Michael Jackson and Josh Groban, and their fans. Journal of Media Psychology, 16 (1).

Stever, G. (2011). Celebrity worship: Critiquing a construct. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 41(6).

Stever, G. (2010). Fan behavior and lifespan development theory: Explaining para-social and social attachment to celebrities. Journal of Adult Development. DOI: 10.1007/s10804-010-9100-0

Stever, G. (2009). Parasocial and social interaction with celebrities: Classification of media fans. Journal of Media Psychology 14(3), 1-39.

Stever. G. (2008). The celebrity appeal questionnaire: Sex, entertainment or leadership. Psychological Reports, 103, 113-120.

Stever, G. (1995). Gender by type interaction effects in mass media subcultures. Journal of Psychological Type, 32, 3-12.

Stever, G. (1991). Imaginary social relationships and personality correlates. Journal of Psychological Type, 21, 68-76.

Stever, G. (1991). The celebrity appeal questionnaire. Psychological Reports, 68, 859-866.

Stever, G. (1991). Type and fan subculture: Discovering how personality affects attachments to celebrities. Proceedings for the International Conference for the Association of Psychological Type. July 13, 1991: Richmond, VA.

Publications: (not peer reviewed)

Stever, G. (2019). Celebrity: A state or a trait? The Amplifier, the publication of APA Division 46 (invited).

Stever, G. (2019). The impact of media: A new model for understanding parasocial experiences. All About Mentoring.

Stever, G. (2017). Gender and media. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Psychology and Gender. Sage Publications. (Invited–editor reviewed)

Dissertation and Thesis:

Stever, G. (1994).   Parasocial attachments:  Motivational antecedents.  Doctoral Dissertation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.

Stever, G. (1990).  Interpersonal attraction:  Personality types of heroes and their admirers.  Master’s Thesis, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.

Conference Presentations: (peer reviewed)

Tukachinsky R. & Stever, G. (2018). Theorizing development of parasocial experiences. International Communications Association, Prague, Czech Republic, May 24-28, 2018.

Lander, L. & Stever, G. (2017). Social media and lifelong learning for sustainable development. World Symposium on Life Long Learning and Sustainable Development, Malta March 2-5, 2017.

Stever, G. (2017). Blue-sky workshop on parasocial theory. International Communication Association, San Diego, CA May, 2017.

Stever, G. (2016). Evolutionary theory and reactions to mass media: Understanding parasocial attachment. Eastern Communication Association, Baltimore, MD, April 1, 2016. Selected for the “Top Three Papers” Panel for media communication.

Stever, G. (2016). Fan celebrity social relationships: A 10 year case study of a music fandom. Eastern Communication Association, Baltimore, MD, April 1, 2016.

Stever, G. (2015). Social presence and celebrity/fan activism: Experiencing virtual fandom as “real. ” Symposium: Popular Music Fandom and the Public Sphere, April 10, 2015, University of Chester, England.

Stever, G., Hoffner, C., Cohen, E., Tukachinsky, R., & Sangalan, L. (2014). Current advances in parasocial theory: Conceptualization, measurement, antecedents and consequences of quasi-social interaction in a media environment. Symposium panel with four papers. Presented at the American Psychological Association, Washington D.C,August 7-10, 2014. Panel Organizer and Chair.

Conference Presentation: (not peer reviewed)

Stever, G. (2017). Blue-sky workshop on parasocial theory. International Communication Association, San Diego, CA May 2017.