Patrick K. Murphy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. He earned his PhD in Counseling Psychology from Purdue University and completed his predoctoral internship at the Dayton VA Medical Center. Murphy also serves as an appointed member of the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Socioeconomic Status (CSES) and directs the Murphy Lab for Social Class and Mobility.

Murphy’s research examines how social class and socioeconomic mobility shape psychological and health-related outcomes. Drawing on perspectives from counseling, health, and social psychology, his work investigates the psychological, interpersonal, and contextual processes through which socioeconomic experiences influence mental and physical health. A primary focus of his research is understanding the psychological consequences of upward social mobility, particularly the conditions under which movement into higher social class contexts is associated with resilience, adaptation, or psychological distress. More recently, his research has expanded to examine how socioeconomic experiences influence health beliefs and behaviors, including sleep, physical activity, and oral health. His scholarship seeks to advance scientific understanding of the relationship between socioeconomic experiences and health while informing psychological theory, clinical practice, and public policy.

In addition to his research, Murphy is committed to mentoring graduate students and training future psychologists in evidence-based assessment and intervention.