John Bickford
Senior Lecturer II
Education
PhD, 2003; MS, 1999, University of Massachusetts Amherst
BA, 1996, Salem State College
Teaching
AWARDS
2022 Nominee, University of Massachusetts Distinguished Teaching Award
2021 Winner, University of Massachusetts College of Natural Science Teaching Award
2020 Nominee, University of Massachusetts College of Natural Science Teaching Award
2018 Nominee, University of Massachusetts Distinguished Teaching Award
2017 Nominee, University of Massachusetts Distinguished Teaching Award
2014 University of Massachusetts Residential First-Year Experience Student-Choice Award
2011 University of Massachusetts Residential First-Year Experience Student-Choice Award
2010 University of Massachusetts Residential First-Year Experience Student-Choice Award
2009 University of Massachusetts Residential First-Year Experience Student-Choice Award
2007 Nominee, University of Massachusetts Distinguished Teaching Award
2002 Nominee, McKeachie Early Career Teaching Award, The Society for the Teaching of Psychology
2001 Nominee, McKeachie Early Career Teaching Award, The Society for the Teaching of Psychology
2000 Nominee, University of Massachusetts Distinguished Teaching Award
2000 Award for Demonstrated Effectiveness in Teaching, Division of Continuing Education, University of Massachusetts
Courses taught
PSYCH 100: Introductory Psychology
PSYCH 360: Social Psychology
PSYCH 370: Personality Theory
PSYCH 391LB (formerly PSYCH 391ZZ): Psychology of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Experience
Service
Coordinator of Online Instruction, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
(I mentor graduate students who are teaching their first online course, but I am not involved in hiring instructors and I am not the contact person for individuals seeking online teaching positions)
Biography
Dr. Bickford regularly teaches Introductory Psychology, Social Psychology, Personality Theory, and Psychology of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Experience. He also mentors and supervises instructors in online teaching of psychology and often teaches online versions of his regular courses through the Division of Continuing and Professional Education. His specialty area is personality and social psychology, and his primary interest is gay and lesbian psychology. His past research involved the development of a multidimensional model and a corresponding self-report measure of sexual orientation as distinct from sexual identity (but Dr. Bickford is now focused on undergraduate teaching and is no longer active in research). His other interests include social cognition, social influence, self-concept and identity, and social stigma. Dr. Bickford's teaching style is heavily influenced by his passions for social justice, self-acceptance, and empowerment of the marginalized. Along with the traditional course content, he helps his students to learn to understand, accept, and stand up for themselves and others.
Dr. Bickford is also well regarded as an enthusiastic but terrible 5-string banjo player.