My first research interest as a social psychologist was helping behavior in emergencies, a focus that eventually evolved into a more general interest in group processes. For some time now I have been generally interested in sports psychology, and in recent years I have been interested in the social psychological aspects of youth sports. More specifically, some of my research has focused on children's reactions -- both cognitive and affective -- to adults who "misbehave" at their athletic events. Within the last several years I have also become interested in the developing body of work on ostracism; my current research examines the connections between ostracism and maladjustment in children and adolescents.

Another important part of my professional identity is tied to my work with regional psychological associations, and at present I am very active in two of these organizations. I have been affiliated with the Midwestern Psychological Association for over 30 years, and from 1995-2006 I served as MPA's Convention Manager. In that capacity I had primary responsibility for the organization's annual meeting, held each spring at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. I continue to serve as the Convention Affairs Coordinator for that organization. When I returned to the Southeast in 2002, I once again became involved with the Southeastern Psychological Association; I served a three-year term (2009-2011) as a member of SEPA's Executive Committee, and I served as the organization's President in 2012-2013. I am also currently a member of the Board of the Association of Heads of Departments of Psychology.

Primary Interests:

Applied Social Psychology
Group Processes
Helping, Prosocial Behavior
Interpersonal Processes
Persuasion, Social Influence

Applied Social Psychology
Group Processes
Helping, Prosocial Behavior

Interpersonal Processes
Persuasion, Social Influence

Journal Articles:

Anderson, R., & Nida, S. (1978). Effect of physical attractiveness on opposite- and same-sex evaluations. Journal of Personality, 46, 401-413.
Latané, B., & Nida S. (1981). Ten years of research on group size and helping. Psychological Bulletin, 89, 308-324.
Nida, S. A., & Koon, J. (1983). They get better looking at closing time around here, too. Psychological Reports, 52, 657-658.
Saylor, C. F., Nida, S. A., Williams, K. D., Taylor, L. A., Smyth, W., Twyman, K. A., Macias, M. M., & Spratt, E. G. (2012). Bullying and Ostracism Screening Scales (BOSS): Development and applications. Children’s Health Care, 41, 322-343.
Saylor, C. F., Williams, K. D., Nida, S. A., McKenna, M. E., Twomey, K. E., & Macias, M. M. (in press). Ostracism in pediatric populations: Review of theory and research. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.
Williams, K. D., & Nida, S. A. (2011). Ostracism: Consequences and coping. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 20 (2), 71-75.
Williams, K. D., & Nida, S. A. (2005). Obliviously ostracizing singles. Psychological Inquiry, 16, 127-130.
Williams, K. D., Nida, S. A., Baca, L. D., & Latané, B. (1989). Social loafing and swimming: Effects of identifiability on individual and relay performance of intercollegiate swimmers. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 10, 73-81.

Other Publications:

Dunn, D. S., Brewer, C. L., Cautin, R. L., Gurung, R. A. R., Keith, K. D., McGregor, L. N., Nida, S. A., Puccio, P., & Voigt, M. J. (2009). The undergraduate psychology curriculum: A call for a core. In D. F. Halpern (Ed.), Undergraduate education in psychology: A blueprint for the future. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Latané, B., & Nida S. (1980). Social impact theory and group influence: A social engineering perspective. In P. B. Paulus (Ed.), Psychology of group influence (pp. 3-34). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Latané, B., Nida S. A., & Wilson, D. W. (1981). The effects of group size on helping behavior. In J. P. Rushton & R. M. Sorrentino (Eds.), Altruism and helping behavior (pp. 287-313). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Nida, S. A. (2007). The social psychologist and the "spin room." Dialogue, 22 (2), 22-23.
Nida, S. A. (1994). The Milgram experiment. In J. K. Roth (Ed.), Ready reference: Ethics (pp. 555-556). Pasadena, CA: Salem Press.
Nida, S. A. (1993). Attraction theories. In F. N. Magill (Ed.), Survey of Social science: Psychology (pp. 1163-1168). Pasadena, CA: Salem Press.
Williams, K. D., & Nida, S. A. (2009). Is ostracism worse than bullying? In M. J. Harris (Ed.), Bullying, rejection, and peer victimization: A social cognitive neuroscience perspective. New York: Springer.

Courses Taught:

General Psychology
Social and Cognitive Foundations of Interpersonal Behavior
Social Influence & Propaganda
Social Psychology

General Psychology
Social and Cognitive Foundations of Interpersonal Behavior

Social Influence & Propaganda
Social Psychology

Steve Nida
The Citadel
171 Moultrie Street
Charleston, SC 29409
United States

Phone: (843) 953-6702
Fax: (843) 953-6797