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 a number of therapy dogs that have become integrated into the curriculum of local preschool and afterschool programs.
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. 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 serve as the Psychology Department representative to the SUNY Fredonia Senate, and I am the technology coordinator for our Department, and the coordinator of the Daniel Krawczyk Exemplary Award. I also serve on the Information Security and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee for the university. In the community, I take my therapy dogs (Duncan and Fletcher) to visit a variety of local schools and institutions.
Selected Student - Faculty Collaboration
Publications
Gee, N. R., Gould, J. K., Swanson, C.C., & Wagner, A. K. (2012). Preschoolers categorize animate objects better in the presence of a dog. Anthrozoös, 25, 187-198.
Gee, N. R., Belcher, J., DeJesus, M. & Riley, W. (2012). The presence of a therapy dog results in improved object recognition performance in preschool children. Anthrozoös, 25, 289-30.
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
Gee, N.R., Braunscheidel, J., and Gregory, J. (2012, April). Physiological reactions of preschool children to the presence of a real dog during a memory task Poster presented at the Student Research and Creativity Exposition, Fredonia, NY and at the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Conference, Westminster College, PA.
Gee, N.R., Best, P., Braunscheidel, J., Kerns, L., Riley, W. (2012, April) The effect a dog has on preschoolers' language production. Poster presented at the Student Research and Creativity Exposition, Fredonia, NY and at the Western Pennsylvania Undergraduate Conference, Westminster College, PA.
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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