Research Interests

Interests include all aspects of the status and life experiences of women, especially health care delivery and women’s health including mental health. Feminist analyses on topics such as close relationships, family, power, sexuality, social justice and violence. Additional interests include decision-making and environmental issues. Students with interests in academic, clinical, applied or public policy fields are welcome.

Research statement

Recent projects have included quantitative modeling of heart bypass decisions with a focus on gender and race, analysis of beauty myths and their psychological impact, national health care needs of women, content analyses of wedding manuals, and a long term qualitative interview study with adult survivors of childhood abuse. A recent book focused on feminism and the social construction sexuality while another book focused on critiques of evolutionary models of rape. Feminist theory provides a general basis for approaching a variety of topics, and research methodologies may be quantitative or qualitative.

• Fellow APA Division 9 Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
• Fellow APA Division 34 Population and Environmental Psychology
• Fellow APA Division 35 Psychology of Women
• Fellow APA Division 38 Health Psychology
• APA Committee on Women Career Achievement Award
• Associate Editor, American Psychologist
• Editor Psychology of Women Book Series
• President, APA Division 35 Psychology of Women
• Chair APA Board of Scientific Affairs

• Martin Marietta Energy Systems PI (1987-1990)
• Martin Marietta Energy Systems PI (1990-1991)
• National Science Foundation National Center in Environmental Decisionmaking co-PI (1995-1997)
• NIH Women Thriving Survivors of Child Abuse co-PI (2002-2006)

Travis, C. B., *Meltzer, A. L., *Howerton, D. M. (2010). Gender and Health Care Utilization (pp. 517-540). In J. C. Chrisler & D. R. McCreary (Eds.). Handbook of Gender Research in Psychology: Vol. II – Gender Research in Social and Applied Psychology. New York: Springer. ISBN: 978-1-4419-1355-5.

Travis, C.B.,  Gross, L.J. , & Johnson, B. A. (2009). Tracking the gender pay gap: A case study. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 33, 409–417.

Hall, J. M., Roman, M, Thomas, S., Travis, C. B., Powell, J. et al. (2009). Thriving as Becoming Resolute in Narratives of Women Surviving Childhood Maltreatment. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 79(3), 375–386.

Travis, C. B., & Meltzer, A. L. (2008). Women’s health: Biological and social systems. In F. Denmark, & M. Paludi (Eds.). Psychology of women:  A handbook of issues and theories (pp. 353-399).Westport, CT: Praeger.

Lonborg, S. D., & Travis, C. B. (2007). Living longer, healthier lives. In V. Muhlbauer, J. C. Chrisler (Eds.). Women over 50: Psychological perspectives. New York: Springer-Verlag.

Travis, C. B., & Meltzer, A. L. (2007). Women’s health: Biological and social systems. In F. Denmark, & M. Paludi (Eds.). Psychology of women:  A handbook of issues and theories. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Travis, C. B., Meginnis-Payne, K., Bardarri, K.  Beauty, sexuality, and identity: The social control of women.  Reprinted 2006 in J. W. White (Ed.) Taking sides: Clashing views in gender (3rd Ed.). Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill Contemporary Learning Series. [see TOC at http://www.dushkin.com/catalog/0073044016.mhtml?SECTION=TOC ]  Original article published in 2000.

Travis, C. B. (2005). Risks to healthy development: Somber planes of life. In J. Worell & C. Goodheart (Eds.), Handbook of Girls’ and Women’s Psychological Health. Oxford University Press.

Travis, C. B. (2005). Heart disease and gender inequity. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 29,15–23.

Travis, C. B. (2005). Redoing the math: Gender & Ability. Review of Gender Differences in Mathematics An Integrative Psychological Approach. PsycCRITIQUES—Contemporary Psychology: Oct. 26. APA Review of Books. http://www.apa.org/psyccritiques

Travis, C.B. (Ed) (2003). Evolution, Gender and Rape. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Travis, C. B. (2003). Theory and data on rape and evolution. In C.B. Travis (Ed), Evolution, Gender and Rape. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Travis, C. B. (2003). Talking evolution and selling difference. In C.B. Travis (Ed), Evolution, Gender and Rape. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

White, J.W., Russo, N.F., Travis, C.B. (2001) Feminism and the decade of behavior. Psychology of Women Quarterly 25, 267-279.

Travis, C.B., Compton, J.D. (2001) Feminism and health in the decade of behavior. Psychology of Women Quarterly 25, 312-323.

Travis, C.B. (2001) Gender development: Evolutionary perspectives. In J. Worell (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Women and Gender. New York: Academic Press (pp 493-505).

Travis, C.B., Meginnis-Payne, K.L. (2001) Beauty politics and patriarchy: The impact on women’s lives. In J. Worell (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Women and Gender. New York: Academic Press (pp 189-200).

Kurth, S. B., Spiller, B., & Travis, C. B. (2000). 13 Consent, power and sexual scripts: Deconstructing sexual harassment. In C. B. Travis & J. W. White (Eds.) Sexuality, society, and feminism: Psychological perspectives on women. (pp. 323-354). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

Moore, D. S., & Travis, C. B. (2000). Biological models and sexual politics. In C. B. Travis & J. W. White (Eds.) Sexuality, society, and feminism: Psychological perspectives on women. (pp. 35-56). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

Rostosky, S. S. & Travis, C. B. (2000). Menopause and sexuality: Ageism and sexism unite. In C. B. Travis & J. W. White (Eds.) Sexuality, society, and feminism: Psychological perspectives on women. (pp. 181-210). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

Tonn, B., English, M. & Travis, C. B. (2000). Frameworks for understanding and improving environmental decision making. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 43, 165-185.

Travis, C. B. & White, J. S. (Editors) (2000). Sexuality, Society, and Feminism. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

Travis, C. B., Meginnis, K., & Siebrecht, K. (2000). Beauty, Sexuality, and identity: The social control of women. In C. B. Travis & J. W. White (Eds.) Sexuality, society, and feminism: Psychological perspectives on women. (pp. 237-272). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

White, J. W., Oliver, M. B., & Travis, C. B. (2000). Social constructions of sexuality: Unpacking hidden meanings. In C. B. Travis & J. W. White (Eds.) Sexuality, society, and feminism: Psychological perspectives on women. (pp. 11-34). Washignton, D.C.: American Psychological Association.