Gayle S. Stever, Ph.D.
Professor
Office address:
Empire State University/SUNY
680 Westfall Rd
Rochester, NY 14620
585-224-3200
gayle.stever@esc.edu
A. General Information
Appointed full time (Empire State University/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 University/SUNY, Professor
2014-2020 Empire State University/SUNY, Associate Professor
2009-2014 Empire State University/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 University 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 University 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:
Giles, D.C. & Stever, G. (in press). Parasocial Experiences: Psychological Theory and Application. Oxford University Press.
Stever, G., Giles, D.C., Cohen, J.D., & Myers, M.E. (2022). Understanding Media Psychology. London: Routledge.
Stever, G. (2019). The Psychology of Celebrity. London: Routledge.
Publications:
Stever, G., Crompton, S., Austin, H., & Hailemariam, S. (2024). Cameo: Description and theory about a social media service. North American Journal of Psychology. In press.
Stever, G. & Tukachinsky-Forster, R. (in press). The psychology of fandom. The Handbook of Media Psychology. Oxford University Press.
Stever, G. (2024). Celebrity heroism. Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies, Springer.
Stever, G. & Cohen, J.D. (2024). Ways that audience members respond to media: A framework for studying audience effects. Handbook of Media Psychology–The Science and the Practice. Eds. Rich, G., Kumar, K. & Farley, F., Springer Nature, Switzerland AG.
Stever, G. (2023). PSRs in adults and older adults. In R. Tukachinsky Forster (ed). The Handbook of Parasocial Experiences. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/
Stever, G. (2021). How do parasocial relationships with celebrities contribute to our development across the lifespan? In Shackleford, K. (Ed.), Real Characters: The Psychology of Parasocial Relationships with Media Characters. (pp. 119-144). Fielding Graduate University Press.
Stever, G. S. (2020). Evolutionary psychology and mass media. In T.K. Shackelford (Ed.) The Sage Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology: Applications of Evolutionary Psychology, (pp. 398-416). New York: Sage.
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
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)
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.
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:
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.