Dr. Nancy Gee
Research
In recent years my research has explored the emerging area of human-animal interaction, with specific emphasis on the effectiveness of dogs in the execution of cognitive and motor skills in preschool children. I train and handle two therapy dogs that have become integrated into the curriculum of the Youngerman Preschool. We are also beginning a collaboration with several Buffalo Hearing and Speech Center locations.
In my research, my students and I examine the circumstances under which the presence of a dog has an influence on the performance of a variety of cognitive and motor tasks. The research conducted in my lab has demonstrated that the presence of a real dog can be motivational; it can serve as a model for appropriate task performance; it increases adherence to instructions in both gross motor skills and a basic cognitive task (object recognition); it increases speed and accuracy in an object categorization; and it reduces errors made in a basic categorization task.
Teaching
I generally teach Statistics (PSY 200), a course I love and which is vital to the evaluation and understanding of psychological research. I also enjoy teaching Cognitive Neuroscience (PSY 361), which investigates the biological basis of cognition, a fascinating and ever-changing area, and Theories of Memory (PSY 454) which presents the various theories that attempt to explain our experiences with memory successes and failures. Related to my research area, I also teach a class in Human Animal Interaction (in the Honors program and as our Senior Honors Seminar). I have also taught Computer Applications in Psychology (PSY 390), Research Methods (PSY 210), and Cognitive Psychology (PSY 244).
Service Activities
Among other campus service activities, I am responsible for the Psychology Department newsletter, I serve as the Psychology Department Senator, and I am the coordinator of the Daniel Krawczyk Exemplary Award. I'm on the 5-year program review committee for our department and I serve on the Information Security Committee for the university. In the community, I take my therapy dogs (Duncan and Nikki) to visit a variety of local schools and institutions.
Through my research into canine-assisted interventions with preschool children I have become involved with the American Psychological Association Division 17’s Animal-Human Interaction Section. I currently serve as secretary to the section and as co-chair of the Human-Animal Bond Interest Group. Our latest news is that we are developing a journal named Human Animal Interaction and I will serve as co-editor for the inaugural issue.
Selected Student - Faculty Collaboration
Publications
Gee, N. R., Gould, J. K., Swanson, C.C., & Wagner, A. K. (in press). Preschoolers categorize animate objects better in the presence of a dog. Anthrozoös.
Gee, N. R., Belcher, J., DeJesus, M. & Riley, W. (in press). The presence of a therapy dog results in improved object recognition performance in preschool children. Anthrozoös.
Gee, N. R., Church, M. T., & Altobelli, C. L. (2010). Preschoolers make fewer errors on an object categorization task in the presence of a dog. Anthrozoös, 23, 223-230.
Gee, N. R., Crist, E. N., & Carr, D. N. (2010). Preschool children require fewer instructional prompts to perform a memory task in the presence of a dog. Anthrozoös, 23, 178-184.
Gee, N. R., & Harris, S. L., (2010). Homographs: An alternative approach to determining meaning dominance. Behavior Research Methods, 42, 976-986.
Gee, N. R., Sherlock, T. R., Bennett, E. A., & Harris, S. I. (2009). Preschoolers' adherence to instructions as a function of the presence of a dog, and motor skills task. Anthrozoös, 22, 267 - 276.
Gee, N. R., Harris, S. L., & Johnson, K. I. (2007). The role of therapy dogs in speed and accuracy to complete motor skills tasks for preschool children. Anthrozoös, 20, 375 - 386.
Poster Presentations
Gee, N. R., Belcher, J., Riley, W., DeJesus, M., & Grabski, J. (2011, August). The presence of a therapy dog improves performance in preschool children. Poster presented at the International Society for Anthrozoology, Indianapolis, IN. Selected for inclusion in a special moderated poster session.
Riley, W., White, B., Tyktor, H., Kerns, L., Greenberg, L., DeJesus, M., & Gee, N. R. (2011, August). Therapy dogs elicit more words in story telling of preschoolers. Poster presented at the American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C..
Gee, N.R., Gould, J. K., Belcher, J. M., Wagner, A. K., & Swanson, C.C. (2010, May). Preschoolers categorize objects better in the presence of a dog. Association for Psychological Science Conference, Boston, MA.
Gee, N. R., Harris, S. L., Bennett, E. A., & Sherlock, T. R. (2008, August). The presence of a therapy dog can help preschool children to follow instructions. International Society for Anthro-Zoology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Recent Student Poster Presentations
Kerns, L., & Greenberg, L. (2011, April). Preschool children use more words to tell a story to a dog than a human. Poster presented at the Student Research and Creativity Exposition, Fredonia, NY and at the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Conference, Westminster College, PA.
Riley, W., & DeJesus, M. (2011, April). Preschool children have faster and more accurate memory performance in the presence of a dog. Poster presented at the Student Research and Creativity Exposition, Fredonia, NY and at the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Conference, Westminster College, PA.
Gould, J. K., Wagner, A. K., & Swanson, C. C. (2010, April). Object categorization performance of preschool children in the presence of a therapy dog. Poster presented at the Student Research and Creativity Exposition, Fredonia, NY, and at the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Conference, Slippery Rock, PA.
Grabski, J., & Belcher, J. M. (2010, April). Memory task performance in the presence of a therapy dog. Poster presented at the Student Research and Creativity Exposition, Fredonia, NY, and at the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Conference, Slippery Rock, PA.
Crist, E., Carr, D., & Gee, N. R. (2009, April). Memory performance and adherence to instructions for preschool children in the presence of a co-collaborator. Poster presented at the SUNY-Fredonia Student Research and Creativity Exposition, Fredonia, NY, and at the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.
Gould, J. K., Swanson, C. C., & Gee, N. R. (2009, April). Categorization performance of preschool children bsed on animation, category, child classification, and the presence of a co-collaborator. Poster presented at the SUNY-Fredonia Student Research and Creativity Exposition, Fredonia, NY, and at the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.
Hyman, W., Powell, A., & Gee, N. R. (2009, April). Preschool children's performance of color naming and adherence to instruction in the presence of a co-performer. Poster presented at the SUNY-Fredonia Student Research and Creativity Exposition, Fredonia, NY, and at the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.
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