Psychology Faculty Statement on Campus Carry

Department of Psychology Faculty
Statement on Pending Campus Carry Law
October 11, 2015

Psychologists study the determinants of human behavior, including causes of, and responses to, violent behavior.  Thus, we, the undersigned faculty members of the Department of Psychology at UT-Austin, feel it is important for us to comment on the pending campus carry law.  In our view, there is no reasonable justification for permitting concealed guns to be taken into campus buildings. There is no empirical evidence whatsoever that the presence of concealed guns on campus will promote student safety, and ample reason to believe that it will lead to harm. Shootings give rise to situations marked by panic, confusion, and terror, conditions under which judgment, especially among individuals who are untrained and inexperienced in such situations, is impaired. Because we are personally and professionally committed to promoting the physical and mental wellbeing of children, adolescents, and adults, we strenuously object to this law and to the presence of concealed guns in campus buildings.

Signed (in alphabetical order):

Jennifer Beer
Associate Professor of Psychology

Rebecca Bigler
Professor of Psychology

Kirsten Bradbury
Lecturer, Psychology

David M. Buss
Professor of Psychology

Caryn L. Carlson
Professor and Associate Chair of Advancement

Jessica Church-Lang
Assistant Professor of Psychology

Yvon Delville
Professor of Psychology

Juan M. Dominguez
Associate Professor of Psychology

Michael P. Domjan
Professor of Psychology

Wendy I. Domjan
Distinguished Senior Lecturer, Psychology

Catharine Echols
Associate Professor of Psychology

Jacqueline Evans
Lecturer, Psychology

Kim Fromme
Professor of Psychology

Bertram Gawronski
Professor and David Wechsler Regents Chair in Psychology

Wilson S Geisler III
David Wechsler Regents Chair, Director of the Center for Perceptual Systems

Francisco Gonzalez-Lima
George I. Sanchez Centennial Professor of Psychology

Samuel D.  Gosling
Professor of Psychology

Zenzi M. Griffin
Professor of Psychology

Andreana P. Haley
Associate Professor

Kathryn Paige Harden
Associate Professor of Psychology

Mary Hayhoe
Professor of Psychology

Marlone D. Henderson
Associate Professor of Psychology

Charles J. Holahan
Professor of Psychology and Graduate Advisor

Wayne H. Holtzman
Emeritus Hogg Professor of Psychology

Alex Huk
Associate Professor, Departments of Neuroscience & Psychology

Theresa A. Jones
Professor of Psychology

Robert Alan Josephs
Professor of Psychology

Hongjoo Lee
Assistant Professor of Psychology

Cristine H. Legare
Associate Professor of Psychology

Jarrod A. Lewis-Peacock
Assistant Professor of Psychology

John C Loehlin
Professor Emeritus of Psychology

Martita A. Lopez
Clinical Professor, Director of Clinical Training

W. Todd Maddox
Wayne Holtzman Chair and Professor of Psychology

Arthur B. Markman
Annabel Iron Worsham Centennial Professor of Psychology

Dennis McFadden
Ashbel Smith Professor Emeritus in Experimental Psychology

Cindy M. Meston
Professor of Psychology

Marie H. Monfils
Associate Professor of Psychology

Ian Nauhaus
Assistant Professor of Psychology

Rebecca Neal-Beevers
Research Scientist, Psychology

James W Pennebaker
Regents Centennial Professor of Psychology

Alison R. Preston
Associate Professor of Psychology

Manuel Ramirez III
Professor of Psychology

Ann M. Repp
Senior Lecturer, Psychology

Timothy J Schallert
Distinguished Teaching Professor, Psychology and Neuroscience

David M. Schnyer
Professor of Psychology and Department Liaison for Medical Affairs

Eyal Seidemann
Associate Professor of Psychology

Jasper Smits
Professor of Psychology

William B. Swann
Professor of Psychology

Michael J. Telch
Professor of Psychology

Elliot Tucker-Drob
Associate Professor of Psychology

Jacqueline D. Woolley
Professor and Department of Psychology Chair

David S. Yeager
Assistant Professor of Psychology

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