Devlin O'Keefe

Graduate Student

Advisor

Research Area

Social Psychology

Biography

Devlin received his BA from Oberlin College in 2022, majoring in Psychology and Environmental Studies. He served as a Research Assistant for Dr. Cindy Frantz and Dr. Stephan Mayer. After graduating, he worked as a Research Coordinator in the Social Action Lab at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication, under the direction of Dr. Dolores Albarracín. In the fall of 2024, he began pursuing his Ph.D. with Dr. David Sherman. He is a 2035 Initiative Fellow, and looks forward to researching the promotion of effective climate policy.

Research

Devlin is interested in protective behaviors and the motivation that stems from reactions to threat and appraisals of efficacy. His previous work has applied these principles to climate activism, investigating the relationship between threat and efficacy appraisals and intentions to adopt climate-protective behaviors. Beyond the context of climate change, he is interested in designing interventions that improve health outcomes. He has previously implemented interventions around substance use, HIV, and Hepatitis C. Devlin has also investigated behavior change resulting from affective recommendations, motivational interviewing, and intergroup contact.