I’m a Social Psychologist and specialize in how people perceive and think about other people and the common errors people make when thinking about people.  My specific research interests involve the stigma of mental illness and how people think about blame and responsibility in sexual assault situations. I also have training in Community Psychology and worked for about 10 years outside of academia in community development, namely leadership development and community organizing. I also have interests in fringe areas of Psychology.  I’ve published articles and letters about Jungian Archetypes and anomalous phenomena (e.g. ESP).

As former Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a veteran social and political activist, I have an extensive familiarity with issues and policy affecting African Americans and other people of color. In addition, I am conversant with First Amendment issues, the Patriot Act, torture, rendition and related issues. As former Deputy Campaign Manager for Rev. Jesse Jackson’s 1988 presidential campaign and a former independent candidate for President, I regularly comment on electoral and political issues in my weekly column Vantage Point and my radio show on WBAI. My principal international work is Haiti via the Institute of the Black World 21st Century and the Haiti Support Project. Conversant with U.S. policy towards Haiti and political trends in Haiti.

Courses include American Government, Urban Government, American Political Thought, Congress and the Presidency, African Culture and Politics; special interest in the practice and scholarship of teaching.

Professor Majerovitz has a doctoral degree in Social and Personality Psychology with a concentration in Health Psychology. Her areas of expertise include the psychology of aging, coping with chronic illness and disability, the impact of illness on marital and family relationships, and the role of social support in buffering stress. Her research interests encompass the psychological impact of family caregiving, family decision making in long term care and nursing home placement, communication in health care settings, and cultural differences in beliefs about elder care. She has worked with non-profit organizations on program evaluation, outcomes assessment, and applied health policy research.

Evidence-based interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapies and mindfulness-based stress reduction program have been demonstrated to be very effective in reducing common problems such as depression, anxiety, insomnia and disordered eating and improving quality of life for many.  Interventions are brief, problem-focused, and very cost-effective compared to traditional psychotherapies or medication.  Yet, many individuals (e.g. ethnic minorities, immigrants, elderly) do not seek or receive this quality care.  My research focuses on modifying these interventions for use among underserved and overlooked populations, addressing barriers, and improving access to such care. 

Dr. Swoboda's disciplinary research focuses on layperson understanding of genetic testing for risk of health problems, including psychiatric disorders, and how technologies of genetic enhancement impact conceptions of disability. She has published articles and book chapters on the social construction and diagnosis of contested illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome and environmental illness/multiple chemical sensitivities. Her scholarship of teaching and learning research looks at faculty understanding of threshold concepts, use of expert/novice distinctions in teaching and learning, and engagement with constructivist pedagogies.

Dr. Villegas’ central interest is based on contemporary research using adult stem cell (neurospheres) transplantation and recovery of cognitive functions in a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease. The rat Alzheimer’s model is produced by chronic infusion of neurotoxins. The behavior test includes using the Morris water maze for testing learning and memory, and a ‘serial reaction time task’ for testing attention. The study presents an innovative strategy for exploring more permanent treatments for neurodegenerative disorders.